Travek's Treasure - A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (The Quasar Lineage Book 6) | eBook

Carefully, I finish arranging the two-inch square brownies into the only basket I have. There’s only so much room in the small living space in my college dorm room, but I’ve lined it with napkins and tried to make it as nice as possible. 
Susan’s waiting in the doorway impatiently. The last hour has been frustrating, so I’ve done what I always do when stress winds me up. I bake. 
Not really baking, since I’m using a hot plate and toaster oven in my dorm room, but the finished product is the same. I’ve meticulously swirled in melted peanut butter on the top of the rich chocolate brownies.
“My mom called,” I admit to Susan as she shifts again, waiting for me to get my butt in gear. I endure her gaze burning a hole into me as she waits to see if I’ll continue.
“I figured.”
Susan’s so in tune with me—like I imagine a sister would be if I had one. She’s even closer than my roommate, Stephanie. I’m so thankful she’s right next door, sharing a dorm room with Jill.
“Yeah. She still can’t figure out what my deal is with Charlie. And her harping is getting old.”
Throwing on my backpack, I follow her into the hall carrying my precious basket of brownies.
“Well, maybe it’s time to tell her everything.”
Susan pushes the door wide open, so I can keep a tight grip on our brownie basket. They’re still warm, and I hug them to my body as the crisp, fall air cuts through the light coat I wore.
“Mm,” I grunt noncommittally.
My mom knows what an asshole Charlie was, but she also doesn’t. At the time the breakup occurred, it wasn’t worth the drama it all would have inspired.
But maybe… maybe it is time?
Charlie and I grew up together, and he’d been my first everything.
My first boyfriend, first kiss, and first lover. Our moms knew each other forever too. They’re best friends and loved the fact we’d hit it off so perfectly. I’m sure they had our wedding all planned out.
Actually, I did too.
I loved him. I guess, technically, I still have feelings for him. But I don’t love him. I’m not committed to him. And I won’t get back together with him.
I’m aware of what he needs now, though. That’s why my mom called and was pushing the big sell on getting back with him. He’s flunking out of university.
She didn’t specifically say that. There’s a chance she doesn’t realize it, but she might. I’m not surprised at all, because I always did his work when we were together.
I definitely enabled him in that part of our relationship. Isn’t it amazing how a year apart makes everything come into focus? I never suspected anything at the time.
He was always so proud of how smart I was. Looking back, I realize that’s because it was helpful to him.
“Is he even going to make it past Christmas this year?”
Susan makes a good point. I told her about how he’s been repeating a bunch of classes from last year. It’s a probationary thing with his athletic scholarship.
“I doubt it. I don’t think I’d hear so much about it if my mom didn’t realize he’d land at the community college soon. His scholarship program is the only way he could afford it there.” Neither of our families could.
It wasn’t until he took off to college a year ahead of me, dumping me three weeks into the first semester, that I realized what had been going on. He’d used me. For years.
Yeah, maybe he liked me. And technically, we aren’t married, so I used him too.
My senior year of high school was rough, though. We’d been together for so long. It felt like I’d lost a limb.
He barely made it through last year. His football scholarship almost didn’t get renewed. Our mother’s gossip informed me he doesn’t have another girlfriend. She thinks that’s great, but I know better.
Oh, no. He doesn’t have “a girlfriend.” He’s playing the field. Literally and figuratively.
“Don’t cave. You deserve better. Trust me. I know there’s something better out there for you!”
Susan’s warm arm around my shoulders reminds me of what a super supportive friend she is. She’s had her own share of hardship in the last couple of years, just coming back to school after taking a year off. It’s been great to get to know her and help each other by venting our frustrations.
Over some yummy sweets too!
“I know.” We’re coming up on the old brick building we meet our study group in. “Don’t worry. I won’t let him back into my heart. I learned my lesson.” 
That isn’t what I’m worried about either. Sure, I won’t ever be with him again. Unfortunately, he’s a hard act to follow.
He was a perfectly built football player. With sandy-blonde hair and blue eyes, he was a dead ringer for a young Robert Redford. Hot.
There aren’t many guys who look like that. Or who are built like that. And he treated me wonderfully while we were together.
Biding his time? Maybe.
“I need to find my next perfect heartthrob… someone who makes me swoon.”
That’s what Charlie did. No one has made me feel a fraction of what he did. And this is a big campus.
I’ve met some great guys, but my heart wasn’t convinced to accept anyone who wasn’t him—yet.
Last year as a senior, I didn’t date anyone. This year is so different that I convinced myself I was ready.
New school. New guys.
What I worry about is that no one will ever live up to Charlie’s memory. What if I’m destined to be alone because I expect something that will never come?
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Susan laughs. “Swoon! How old are you? I assumed swooning is what women did when they wore corsets in the olden days. Wasn’t that just because they couldn’t breathe in those fucking things?”
Snorting, I laugh, and we giggle at my snort the last few steps to the door.
“Everyone will love these brownies! Chocolate and peanut butter, right?” Susan confirms I’ve concocted her favorite again.
My favorite is mint. Icing sugar with mint extract swirled in the top instead of peanut butter… to die for.
“I hope everyone hates them, because I’d like to have two.” Susan holds open the door for me again.
“I know! Maybe nobody else will show up. You never know. I plan to think positive!”
Laughing, I realize just how true that is. As we stomp up the stairwell, I start reciting the ingredients and steps to make them. One of these days, Susan will break down and make some for me.
“I love them. I don’t even care what they have in them.”
Susan’s words make my heart sink. She doesn’t realize that it’s the same old thing for me. It’s becoming clearer and clearer that I give what’s important to me, and everyone else just takes. 
No—that isn’t true. She isn’t like Charlie. I have to keep my chin up and stay positive.
“You showed me how to make them, or at least the hot plate part, remember?” Susan is always kind when she points out I’m repeating myself to her.
“Oh, yeah!” I shake myself out of the funk I’ve slipped into, planting a smile on my face as we walk into the room. “I was thinking it was Stephanie, but it was you.”
The table’s already busy with our friends. “Damn! Are we late?”
“No. You guys are right on time. Especially since you have food.” Beth waves us over and pulls out a chair for me. 
Sinking gratefully into it, I shrug off my backpack and throw it on the floor in front of me to pull out the napkins. Everyone can use them as plates too. 
Beth’s face is a foot from the basket as I uncover the chocolate miracle inside. “Damn, Lisa. You really fucking rock the brownies.”
I just laugh and shake my head at her antics. Beth is super sweet with authentic bleach blond hair. My hair’s light brown with natural highlights. It looks dark compared to her almost-white head.
“They’re still warm,” she squeals as she carefully pulls one out and onto a napkin. The basket’s already starting around the table.
Smiling, I settle back to enjoy watching everyone pick one out. 
It’s sad, but I’m not even hungry. The phone call with my mother that inspired these also killed my appetite. Figures.
“Ladies, ladies.” Shelly claps her hands above her head as she pulls our attention to her. As the organizer of our meetings, she usually has a very organized agenda.
I don’t come to learn. I come to help.
“Oh yeah! Brownies.” Shelly takes a second to pick one out before passing them along. “Let’s break into groups for our specific issues. With the eight of us here, that should make it so we can cross reference our strengths and weaknesses for each other.”
I don’t move as everyone pulls out their questions on the last week of notes. Just behind Karen, across the table, I see a streak of lights and then pulsing flashes. “What is that?”
As soon as the words are out of my mouth, the light swells brighter and brighter. It doesn’t make any sense. What could be thirty feet up and that bright?
A funny feeling starts in my chest, drawing me from my chair. Excitement flows through me. I’m on my feet and practically running to the window.
Getting there first, I can’t see a thing outside. It’s blinding.
I’m in a spotlight and can’t focus on a thing from the intensity. The elation I’m experiencing is strange. My skin’s tingling, and I swing around to look at the others.
I can’t see anything though, even when I turn around. It’s as bright looking back into the room as it was when I walked to the window.
“Guys?” I couldn’t have burned my retinas that quick! Right?
No one answers, and I notice everything around me starts to shake. Softly at first, but picking up speed and intensity the longer it goes on.
Now I’m scared. “Susan!” My voice sounds far away, even to me. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m petrified now or what? 
I can feel myself getting light-headed as I hyperventilate. Everything is white and silent around me now.
Shutting my eyes, it cuts back on the light, but it’s like laying out on a bright summer day. My eyes water profusely behind my lids, and I feel tears begin to slide down my cheeks. 
But I can’t move to wipe them away. I’m frozen!
It’s only as I begin to lose consciousness that the darkness finally takes over.

“This ship better stay together!”
Gilip’s determined expression is at odds with his permanent scowl. We calculated what we assumed would be a safe trajectory to enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Now we’re all holding our breath as we descend.
As the hull readings climb higher, Sol glances back and forth, his head swiveling from the panel to me.
My face is carefully blank. I knew this could be a suicide mission, and I tried to talk him out of it.
“Travek?” Sol’s voice is barely a whisper as the readings climb above acceptable levels. He’s trusting me to get us through this.
“I see it.”
There’s nothing we can do at this point. We’re committed. This is just one of many things that can go wrong. “Almost… there.”
We break out onto the other side, and the readings begin to drop immediately.
Thank the Sacred Mother. One catastrophe averted—on to the next.
I sink back into the chair and try to relax. Looking over the blue and green planet below us, I can’t help but be mesmerized by the sight in front of us. It’s beautiful.
“Where to?” Gilip’s deep voice is more relaxed now. But that’s the next question I don’t have an answer for—yet.
“Cruising speed at this altitude for the moment. Let’s all relax and see what we detect.”
I’ve been preparing for this. I understand Bren felt Hannah for a long time. As long as she took to get to another planet, they call Mars. 
We assumed he perceived her once she left the Earth's atmosphere. But everything is speculation at this point. 
My trip here is not only to find my mate but also to narrow down some of these unknowns. After all, we need to be able to replicate this trip in the future if we want to make it a profitable venture.
Settling into a daily reflection stance, I let the ship around me fade away.
I probably look like I’m sleeping, but I’m not. All Quasar males are trained extensively in morning and evening daily reflections.
Taking deep breaths, I turn my attention inward. Focusing on nothing. Feeling nothing. 
My surroundings drop away, and I no longer perceive my brother or Gilip. There’s nothingness, and that’s relaxing as I focus on thinking about nothing.
A pinpoint of light begins in my peripheral vision. Watching it carefully, I relax more. Waiting. 
Slowly, it gets bigger and my skin tingles in anticipation.
Yes. It feels good. Right.
My internal vision watches the light stream out as if a beacon towards me. That’s it. It has to be.
It’s as good a place to start as any. We don’t have any other choice at this point. And if it’s incorrect, we’ll just keep looking.
Snapping my eyes open, I spot my brother Sol watching me with a strange expression on his face. “What? Did you see something? Or sense something?”
“Both.”
Turning to Gilip, I wave my hand in front of his face, still locked onto the panel. “Manual override.”
He straightens immediately, passing control to me.
This is my favorite part. So often we rely on the computers to navigate. Almost all the time, really.
“Are you fucking serious?” Gilip still doesn’t trust any of this. He thinks Bren has staged an elaborate hoax. Tempting for all of us, but I know differently.
I’ve seen the markings.
Instead of watching, he gets up and moves into the crew area of our ship. “Inform me when we’re there.”
His heavy boots echo on the floor as he moves away behind me.
“Sure.”
I smile at Sol as I drop our ship sharply, and we faintly overhear him swearing behind us. 
“What do you feel? Do you really think you felt something?”
Sol wants to believe as much as I do. And I do believe.
His voice drops lower, and I can barely catch him add on, “Is it your mate?”
“It feels like destiny. Almost hurts, but it’s a pull. Just wait.”
I don’t say any more while we drop smoothly down toward a green area of the planet. As it gets bigger in front of us, my entire body is encased in the knowing. 
Excitement fills me, along with elation. This is it! 
I lock our destination in on the area of the green space that seems to call to me. As I study the lighter green in my vision, the on-board computer drones, “Twenty-eight quasenda parcs.”
“Should I get the staging area ready?”
This is what Sol’s really excited about. Using the technology, we’ve only tried a few times before. Each time, his excitement magnifies, and his eyes light up. I assume our Uncle Reelo’s mantra is droning through his head like it does mine.
“Yes. Let’s do it.”
Every time we’ve used the silver box, it’s displayed a holographic ring where our target would arrive. The only place large enough on this ship is the still fairly small cargo bay in the back.
Even emptying it all out, we aren’t positive it will be enough space.
Setting up the auto-navigation to where I feel her presence, I walk into the back after him. We pass Gilip in the prep area eating.
“Where are you going?” His mouth is full as he talks and follows behind us.
“You’ll see.”
Gilip is one of my best friends, but he’s only here for the adventure. He loves getting off the Discovery and seeing new things. I can’t remember a time he didn’t say yes to whatever hare-brained idea I thought up.
Standing in the practically empty hold, Sol and I take positions in the only area left to stand. We dumped almost everything except what could fit in the bins and nets that carry items on the side.
When I fire up the box and it begins its low strange hum, I hear Gilip draw a quick inhale. “What the fuck, Travek? Where did you get that?”
His strained voice lets me know he’s not positive he’s on-board with whatever might happen next.
I don’t even turn to look at him when Sol answers. “Travek found it in our family’s scrap yard. He fixed it.”
“Are we here to start a war or what? What does it do?”
Gilip’s mind is really off—speculating the worst. How typical of him. He must imagine I plan to blow something up.
I’ve successfully locked the destination point as I turn to answer him. “Transporter. Only way better than anything we have on the market on Quasar.”
Brushing by him, I return to the front. I don’t know exactly how long I have to lock in the target, but we’re close.
Sol stays in the back as we discussed previously, but Gilip has followed me to the front view screen. “Holy Sacred Mother. Everything’s so dark.”
He falls heavily into the seat next to me.
Nodding, I settle the box between my legs as I manually take over the controls again. There are thousands of poles below us with lights atop them. Moving ground vehicles stream around everywhere.
In the distance, I make out large aircraft that appear to take off and land in a long, narrow strip. That only catches my attention for a second, though. The pull to a dark building ahead of me has me directing the craft to dive quickly.
The faster we can pull this off, the better.
“Hang on!”
I direct my yell over my shoulder at Sol, who only has the rear harnesses to keep him from flying around.
I hear a loud thunk and then swearing as we drop just above the treetops, racing toward the building quickly.
And then we’re there.
Hovering in front of the building, I can see shapes moving around inside.
She’s right there! Right there!