Selas's Salvation - A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (The Quasar Lineage Book 8) | eBook

“How’s Brett?” 
I cringe even as I ask. Not that Brett’s a bad guy—not at all. He’s well-meaning. It’s just that he’s almost a carbon copy of our father, and I can’t believe Helen married him. 
My sister definitely has different taste than I do.
“He’s working hard.” Helen blows out her breath with frustration. “His residency is taking all his extra time and then some.” 
I bite my tongue as I listen to her drone on about the hours. And his lack of sleep during his residency.
I love my sister. I really do. But I’m not sure how she didn’t see that Brett’s driven personality is identical to our dad’s. 
They met at college and hit it off immediately. In the beginning, when she asked me what I thought, I told her the truth. 
I don’t want to marry someone who worries about their job more than our family, and eventually, our children. I certainly never want to feel like a single mom like our mother did. There are so many other important things, including making your kids feel like they have a father who cares. 
Sure, we had money. We enjoyed private schools and could afford all the extracurricular activities we wanted. 
But I wanted my father to come to my Aikido presentations. After the first couple he missed, I realized he’d never make it.
“What are you up to now?” 
I’m interrupted from my pity party by her question and realize I need to focus.
“I’m waiting on Jo-Anne. She had a meeting with a counselor and then we have a study group for math.” 
I groan as I shift and look at the clock again. It should be almost over. If she doesn’t hurry, we’ll be late.
“I can’t believe you bother. You’re getting straight A’s, aren’t you?” 
Helen’s voice drips with sarcasm, and I can hear the car blinker and realize she’s driving and I’m on BlueTooth. I’m relieved I didn’t say anything negative about Brett. I don’t know if she has anyone else in the car.
“Yeah, but it’s fun. Everyone in this group is super nice, and Jo-Anne needs to go. It gives us something to do together…” 
My voice drops as I conclude, “… and it’s good for her to get out.”
Helen makes a non-committal noise of disapproval but doesn’t reply. 
I made the mistake of telling Helen a bit about Jo-Anne’s personal issues, and she thinks she’s a nutcase. She didn’t say it at the time, but I know my sister. We’re five years apart, but she’s as easy to read as mom.
“I better go.” 
I stare at the clock as the second hand seems to speed up. “I love you and miss you. Come visit me when you get time.”
Helen’s new job at an attorney’s office leaves her about as much extra time as Brett, but maybe that’s what makes them a perfect couple.
“I will. Don’t wait so long to call again, either. I miss you too!” The car door dings, letting me know she’s reached her destination.
“I won’t. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Blinking my eyes rapidly, I stare at my phone. I’m still pulling myself together right as Jo-Anne yanks open the door to her therapist’s office. 
I wonder how Jo-Anne made out? Because from what she’s told me in the past about her, Dr. Dickson can be a real prick for a woman.
Taking in Jo-Anne’s fierce expression, I know it’s gone the same way as every time before. They don’t believe her. 
Now, I’m the first one to admit that Jo-Anne’s stories sound crazy. Alien abductions, missing time, and memory loss don’t come across as sane. But I know Jo-Anne. She’s not making this up.
I’ve seen her when she’s come back from being abducted, shaken and once—naked. Something’s going on. She isn’t a liar. 
Until it’s proven otherwise, I believe her.
If or when I become a therapist—or even my real secret dream of being an Aikido instructor—I swear I’ll give everyone the benefit of the doubt. 
Therapy is my top pick for college study and my career because there’s no way anyone would be impressed with my dream of full-time Aikido. Not with a father and brother-in-law being doctors, and my sister just starting her law career…
“All set?” 
Shoving my phone into my backpack, I hop up to follow her out of the waiting room. She’s already halfway out the door. 
“Yes.” 
I can hear a combination of relief and anger in her voice. She won’t want to talk about it. Maybe later. 
Maybe not. I’m fine either way.
Pretending that I don’t know how pissed she is, we hurry across the damp grass to the study group building without speaking. 
I have the perfect distraction, but need to make sure I broach the subject carefully. I’ve been stalling about bringing it up since she’s begged off double dating in the past. 
But Tim is a fairly new relationship. So far, I’m impressed. He’s kind, non-judgmental, and smart. 
We met in English. Honestly, until he spoke to me two weeks ago, I never noticed him. He’s not gorgeous in a traditional way, but his clean-cut and wholesome good looks are attractive.
Last week, he wrote a poem for me and gave it to me after our third coffee date. He’s obviously into me, and I want to like him. 
I mean, I do like him. It’s just… I want to be as into him as he seems to be into me. 
Time is all I need, right?
Pulling the door open to the old brick building, I watch Jo-Anne slip quickly inside. “Do you want to go to a movie this weekend?” 
Jo-Anne probably doesn’t realize her shoulders stiffen ahead of me as she enters the stairwell. “Did you have a specific movie in mind? RomCom or action or horror…” 
Deepening her voice, it echoes around us as we climb the three stories. She’s joking, but I know she isn’t a huge horror fan. With her background and experiences, who can blame her? 
More likely, she’s looking for an excuse to opt-out.
“That depends on if we have the funds to pay for it ourselves?” 
I smirk at her as I turn on the landing above her to head up the second flight. “That cute guy, Tim, I told you about him from English?”
We both know I’ve told her. I showed her the poem. It’s a little dorky, but it’s the first time a boy’s ever written a poem for me! 
I was flattered.
But this will be the first time I’ve gone with him anywhere off-campus since we’ve only met at the coffee shop here at school. A double date seems less serious, especially with friends. 
“Sure, I remember.” She doesn’t sound enthused, and honestly, I’m not surprised.
“Well… he asked me if I wanted to go see that new chick flick with Drew Barrymore this weekend, and I told him I’d go as a double date.”
Her audible groan echoes through the stairwell as she shakes her head at me. “Great. He must really like you if he volunteered to take you to that movie!” 
I laugh, encouraged as she does too, joining her on the landing where I pull open the door to the hall. 
Grabbing her sleeve as she passes through the door, I tug gently and put on my best pleading face. 
I probably look like an idiot, but she laughs harder before scrunching up her nose as she slowly nods. “Did he say someone in particular he had in mind to bring?” 
That’s a good sign. Maybe she won’t back out. I’d feel like an idiot if she did, and I certainly don’t want to go out to a movie with two guys I don’t know.
Jo-Anne’s question has me wondering if there’s someone in particular she’s hoping to hear he’s bringing. Unfortunately, I’m not exactly sure who he had in mind, and after calling out hello to the others in the room, I spend the next few minutes trying to figure out who she might be interested in while we settle into our seats across from Shelly who heads the group. 
Pulling up the movie trailer on my phone, we giggle at the comedy while waiting for everyone to show up. 
“It does look really good,” Jo-Anne admits as Shelly calls us to order, and I realize everyone’s here. 
I’m shuffling papers in front of me as a basket of brownies gets passed around, so I don’t notice why everyone is gasping until I look up at Susan. Sitting next to Shelly across from me, she’s illuminated—no!
A bright light pours through the window, making the entire room glow.
Swiveling quickly in my chair, I shade my eyes in a futile effort to cut down the glare. What the hell are they thinking?
Whatever prank this is, they’re going to be in big trouble, I’m sure. We’re three stories up!
Are they hanging off the roof or something?
“What is that?” Lisa’s to my left as she stands. 
Even looking at everyone across from me is hard and my eyes water as I see Lisa and Beth next to me get to their feet. They move to the window to investigate with Susan, but my attention is pulled back to Jo-Anne on my other side.
Jo-Anne’s whimpering as she hunches in her chair, chanting, “No. No, no, no…”
“Jo-Anne! Honey?” Throwing my arms around her, I try to pull her into my arms. 
She’s shaking so hard, I’m afraid she’s slipping into a seizure. This isn’t funny any longer. 
Standing quickly, I spin around, intending to run to the window. These assholes are going to get a piece of my mind. 
Jo-Anne stands with me, still chanting as I move away from her. My body feels lighter somehow as I take a few steps away and move closer to Susan. 
“Can you feel this?” Her voice fades as I register what she’s referring to.
Individual streams of light waver around us. This isn’t normal. Not only is the light pulsating, I feel like my skin is vibrating from the light touching it.
Like staring into a flash, the light makes everything appear brighter and overexposed. When I close my eyes to let them adjust, I realize I can’t move. My feet, my arms, even my neck—I’m stuck!
“Lisa!” 
Susan’s voice sounds far away, not the three feet that I know she is. “Can you hear me?”
“Yes, Susan!” Lisa sounds even farther away when she answers her. “I can’t move, though.”
Lisa’s voice is almost a whisper as it ends, and I realize I’m passing out. 
The light behind my eyelids has become a tunnel and at the end of the tunnel I still can hear Jo-Anne’s voice faintly echoing, “No!”

“We’re almost there. I don’t want to head back until we make contact.”
Motioning to Tier on my left, he takes the lead, scouting ahead in the dense terrain on Dactyles.
Amari’s voice in my head on the link begins to break up, but I strain to catch what he shares. “Yes, the Discovery will arrive in the next rotation. They completed the backlog in record time.”
He gets more information from his mate Rachel about the Discovery’s latest agenda than I do from Bren.
Every Quasar spacecraft must complete a rotation around its assigned quadrant. The Discovery has been behind since Bren located Hannah sixty-eight rotations ago.
I was with him when he boarded the small craft that Hannah called a Skylab. I watched the interaction between them when they first met, but I never would have guessed that the small human females would have such a profound effect on us all.
But first, Bren was called back to Quasar to complete his family commitment. Then, we had a rushed trip back for the Human women Shelly and Beth to get the vaccine for Tirus-X.
Consequently, the Discovery fell behind in completing its regularly scheduled quadrant rotation.
“Will everything be ready planet-side?”
My voice is low as I keep in mind that we’re trying to have the element of surprise out here in the wilds. We don’t expect any trouble, but that doesn’t mean the quasar males who chose to live out here won’t be combative. They’ll assume we’re here to take them back to the prison dome.
“It will be. Teams two and three are heading up the rooms that they’ll want to occupy.”
According to Amari, who’d heard secondhand from his mate Rachel, the Discovery will be back here tomorrow. Rachel stays in contact with Shelly, Beth, and Hannah, who’s currently on the spacecraft.
Was it intentional that Bren didn’t notify me himself?
Before taking this assignment on the prison planet Dactycles, I was second in command on the Discovery. I should have been the first to be updated.
The branch snaps back, flying into my face and bringing my focus back to the present. Ahead of me, Kene turns, motioning me to take the lead.
Nodding curtly, I creep forward as quietly as I can.
I need to pay attention. These woods can be dangerous, and we had to abandon our shuttle when the brankton was climbing the trees and became so thick it was impassable.
The few of the larger animals on this planet can be dangerous too, but the vegetation is often much worse than you’d expect.
From Amari and Whik, we’ve learned where different settlements of escapees from the prison dome have set up their living areas. It’s been hard work to reach some of the more impassable territory, but I’m determined to complete this part of my mission.
Bren believes I’m qualified and capable of leading and organizing this operation, and I won’t let him down.
“There’s more.” Amari’s voice is ominous as I move into a part of the forest that has a canopy completely obscuring the sun. Long, dim shadows fall over me, and Tier and Kene are so silent, it’s as if I’m alone.
When I don’t answer, Amari continues. “They’ve been in contact with Travek. He’ll arrive at the same time on a course from Earth.”
Clenching my jaw, I refrain from commenting. Travek has never been one of my favorite males. Rich, entitled, and constantly pursuing the next profitable venture, he’s always rubbed me the wrong way.
I assume he just reminds me of the taunting males from my time at the education center, and that isn’t fair to him.
I’ve been working on establishing myself as a potential leader for—well, my entire life. Being born into a common family limits your options, starting right from school.
Travek never ridiculed and challenged me like many others, but his background is the same.
If I’m honest with myself, Bren and Travek have a lot of similarities—except for Travek’s link to the council by blood. Maybe it’s just Travek’s determined and entitled attitude that’s made me like him less.
This assignment on Dactyles has enlightened and challenged me. Straightening out the corruption and pinpointing ringleaders has taken time. Now we’re spreading out from the prison dome itself, into the less explored areas of the planet where many prisoners have fled.
Pausing, I wait for Tier to continue our circuit. He’s almost invisible in the dim light as he smoothly and silently passes by before disappearing into the gloom ahead.
“Is there anything else I should know?”
My murmur is almost too low for even me to hear. When Amari doesn’t answer, I repeat the question slightly louder.
Nothing.
I’ve lost him then. It was inevitable out here. Without the Discovery rotating around Dactyles, it’s impossible to bounce the signal into every corner of the planet. Satellite installation is high on my priority list of items to discuss with Bren.
When Bren and I arrived on Dactyles, where Matthias knew his mate was located, it became obvious that the Earth females who’d landed here before us were being hidden by the corrupt officials. The Warden Benard had quite a setup here. The atrocities committed by him and his guard followers were outrageous and criminal.
As Bren’s first-in-command, he left it to me to stay on the surface of the planet when he left to race back with Shelly and Beth at the Council’s bidding. I was tasked with purging the previous corrupt leaders and restructuring the entire facility so that it’s being run by qualified—but kind males.
It’s been challenging. There’s no other way to put it. It’s no wonder some of the outlying groups of prisoners have been so inhospitable. The corrupt structure of the prison dome encouraged killing as an option.
So far, we’ve only had one casualty, a young male named Tuono. He was a Junior Support Technician left with me by Bren and less than seven rotations ago, we found his body without a head. Based on where it was discovered, we believe whoever perpetrated the crime wanted us to find it.
I just don’t understand why.
Tuono was young and kind, the way many of us were when we first began our tours.
I’ve been on the Discovery longer than most, joining at the same time as Bren. But without the family commitment, I can stay in active service indefinitely if I desire.
It’s only a matter of time before all the positions on board the Discovery are permanently taken by older males. It’s hard to get the placement, but once you do, without family commitments—and if you’re willing to give up on ever having a family of your own—you can stay on.
Look at Mavick, the engineer I have scheduled to look at the energy disperser here under the dome. He’s been on board for twenty-three Quasar annual rotations.
As I take my turn in our formation, moving ahead and into the lead, I come to an abrupt halt. Blinking rapidly, I try to decipher if my eyes are seeing what I think.
Less than a stone’s throw away is a face that looks eerily familiar. Only there’s no body… just a large branch of wood that they impaled the head on.
Well… I guess I’ve found Tuono’s missing head.