"Is that a good thing?"
"Believe me when I say that it is. My nearest neighbor is to the south of us. He and his mate don't visit often. Only when their esapug finds himself on my land. Then Devkon finds himself on my land because his mate has chased down the wretched creature. I have learned to forgive him for the transgression, since I would do the same if I had a mate of my own."
"You said I'm on Reazus Prime? Where is that?"
"That is in a galaxy far, far from your homeworld, I'm afraid."
"You mean like on another planet? How is that possible? That means you... you're an alien!"
I chuckled in amusement. "Technically, I believe you are the alien on Reazus Prime. Though I must admit that I was not born here either. I was brought here when I was a youth. Exiled for political reasons, I had no control over." A shadow of memories attempted to weigh me down, but I threw it off. I had long since given up the hope of ever returning to my homeworld.
"So, I'm not on Earth? I don't even know what to think about that. What do I call you? You have a name, don't you?"
"Yes, female, I have a name. I am called Keldor Blazeclaw. I am a Dragonian," I said, bowing my head at the female, winking at her. To all the deities I no longer worshiped, I winked at the female!
The female giggled and the indignity of winking at her was worth the unusual display. "And what is your name, female?"
The female opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out as horror grew in her expression. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and opened her mouth again. And again, no sound came out. Her mouth popped open as she gasped.
"I don't know." The female tugged her hair, her eyebrows squeezed together in confusion. "How can I not know my name?"
Chapter 2
Female
He winked at me!
My rescuer was a sight to behold. His large, leathery wings spanned an impressive width, easily twice my height or more. The wing membranes were a dark charcoal with intricate patterns of scales. As he shifted, the wings caught the warm light filtering in from the window, casting flickering shadows that danced across the room.
My heart raced at the sight of those magnificent wings. They were spellbinding. Dark and imposing, I saw a webbing between the bones that made up the wing structure. A small, jagged scar on one wing stood out, a pale line against the rich coloring, hinting at battles fought or dangers faced.
He was quite handsome, if one overlooked the fact he wasn't human. Intriguing was the word that came to mind. Chiseled features, high cheekbones, and a strong jawline gave his face a striking, almost regal appearance. His eyes, a mesmerizing blend of amber and gold, glimmered with an ancient wisdom. He was so unlike anyone I had ever met. Or at least, I didn't think I had.
But that wink when he introduced himself! A playful, roguish gesture that was at odds with his imposing stature. I couldn'thelp the girlish giggle that escaped me, the sound tinkling like a wind chime in the stillness of the room. It almost made me forget the dire circumstances I found myself in. Almost.
My memory loss was a strange, unsettling thing. I remembered some aspects of life on Earth – fragments of knowledge and trivia that clung stubbornly to the edges of my mind. For instance, I knew most humans didn't believe aliens existed. There were outliers, the conspiracy theorists and self-proclaimed abductees, but they were often thought of as strange or attention seekers. Maybe even delusional sometimes. Now, faced with undeniable proof in the form of this magnificent creature before me, I wondered if there had been some basis, in fact, for all those stories of alien encounters.
I remembered who the last president was, but I didn't remember my name or who I was. My life on Earth was a big black hole where my existence had once thrived, now gone in an instant, leaving me scared and unsure. I hoped I had been a good person. Who really knew? I could have been a criminal mastermind back on Earth, and maybe this whole memory loss thing was a cosmic way for me to have a do-over. It was unsettling, to say the least, not knowing the core of who I was.
Gingerly, I sat up, my hand going to my throbbing head. Though tender, there wasn't any blood when I looked at my hand. I must have hit my head pretty hard to be knocked out and wake up with no memory. The room spun for a moment, and I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the dizziness to pass.
Looking down, I didn't see any open wounds, though somebody parts were still a little sore and sensitive to touch. It was as if I'd been injured some time ago and had healed, but not all the pain was gone. A faint, medicinal scent lingered in the air, sharp and slightly astringent, hinting at the advanced technology that had mended my wounds.
"Are you in pain?" Keldor's deep, resonant voice cut through the silence, laced with concern. "The medbay is good at learning new species on the fly, but I was hesitant about having it give you any pain medications until it was updated with human physiology."
"It's not bad. A little tender," I shook my head, marveling at the idea that a machine had healed me. That was so far beyond anything we had on Earth. At least, I didn't think we did. I was so confused. And tired. The weight of exhaustion settled over me like a heavy blanket.
"I think I need a nap, which is ridiculous since I just woke up!" I couldn't keep the frustration out of my voice, the words tinged with a weary resignation. How could I be so weak?
"Your body has been through a lot," Keldor said, his tone gentle but firm. "The slave traders would have done their best to not injure you because you are more valuable whole. However, considering how long it's been since the first female was discovered on Reazus Prime, I would guess your pod had been floating in space for some time before it crashed onto my land. The stasis programming appeared to still be functioning, but any emergency medical programming was faulty and did not engage. You had some serious wounds when I opened the pod." He took a deep breath, the sound rumbling like distant thunder. "I'm sure picking you up and flying to my home didn't help your injuries."
"Flying?" I looked at Keldor's wings as they moved around him, the leathery membranes rustling softly. "You mean you carried me and flew?"
He had to be incredibly strong to carry me like that. The muscles in his arms flexed beneath the dark scales as he shifted his weight, rippling with power. I wished I remembered how it felt to be in his arms. It was such a strange thought, but I wondered what it would be like to be in his embrace again,cradled against that muscular frame. I wasn't a dainty woman. Even without my memory, I knew I carried more weight than humans would probably deem healthy. Despite the tender spots, I didn't feel unhealthy. I was curvy and no feelings of shame or inhibition popped into my rattled brain.
I hopped off the medbay, the cold metal floor sending a jolt through the soles of my bare feet. Immediately, I regretted the impulsive move as a wave of dizziness washed over me. I wobbled, my legs threatening to give out, before Keldor scooped me up into his arms with surprising swiftness and grace. For the first time, I knew what it was like to be held in his strong embrace. It was comforting and safe, like being enveloped in a warm cocoon. His scales were smooth and surprisingly supple against my skin, not the rough texture I had expected. A faint, earthy scent, like freshly turned soil after a spring rain, enveloped me, earthy and primal.
"Tell me about Reazus Prime," I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. If I couldn't remember who I was, I would learn about where I was.
