Kyro: A Sci-fi Alien Abduction Romance (Captured by Aliens Book 5) Page 20

  In his outstretched hand was the memory deletion device. It was something they’d agreed on a long, long time ago. If their secret got out, they’d use the device.

  Kyro swallowed hard, nodding as he took the device from his friend.

  “Thank you, brother.”

  “Do you need help?” Rokan shifted on his feet.

  This was hard for Rokan too. Neither of them liked what they were about to do.

  “No, I can handle it.”

  Rokan squeezed his shoulder before moving away.

  When Kyro turned back to face her, Evren’s eyes focused on the device in his hand.

  “Is that it?” she whispered.

  “Yes.”

  It took a few moments before a soft, sad smile moved her lips and her gaze met his.

  “I guess it’s time for me to go then...”

  The walk back to her apartment felt as if she was walking with a weight on her shoulders that was holding her down.

  There were countless aliens on the streets as usual, yet she was aware of only one.

  Kyro walked by her side in his usual gray form and with every step they made together, the more she broke a little inside.

  They said nothing, walking together in silence, because there was too much to be said.

  When they stopped walking suddenly, she realized she was in front of her door.

  Had she really walked all the way with her mind elsewhere?

  The presence of her door made her feel even worse.

  She had arrived. That meant goodbye.

  It was so soon.

  Too soon.

  Sighing, she activated the door and stared into her apartment as the door slid open.

  As soon as she walked over the threshold and the door closed, that was it. He would be gone, and she wouldn’t remember any of what had happened over the last twenty-four hours.

  She wouldn’t even remember him or her feelings for him.

  For a second, she considered telling him no, but she couldn’t. She was putting him in danger.

  As she swallowed hard and stepped over the threshold, she paused and faced him.

  “Kyro...”

  “Evren...”

  She would be strong. She would be strong for this.

  “Here is the device.” He opened his hand and outstretched it. A device the size and shape of a pen resting in his palm. He’d already taught her how to use it before they’d left his place.

  Taking the little device, she nodded. It was this thing that was going to destroy her world and she wouldn’t even know about it afterward.

  Looking up at him, she could feel the wetness threatening to fall from her eyes.

  Her wonderful Kyro.

  She squeezed the device in her hand.

  If it meant protecting him, she’d do anything.

  Kyro reached out to touch her then pulled his arm back, the movement making her heart wring in her chest.

  But he was right not to touch her. She’d fall apart if he did.

  She kept repeating in her head that this was for the best.

  Funny how the right thing felt so, so wrong.

  “I should go...” he finally said.

  Evren nodded. She wanted to scream no but she couldn’t.

  His skin tightened as if he was stopping himself from doing something and for a moment, hope flared within her. “Goodbye, Evren.”

  Her body jerked in a soundless, tearless sob.

  Nodding, she sniffed. “Goodbye, Kyro.”

  Pressing the panel on the wall before she could change her mind, the door of the apartment slid closed.

  Sliding against the wall, she leaned her head against it, finally allowing the tears to fall.

  She’d just lost the one thing in all of this shitfest that felt right. She’d lost him and she was never getting him back.

  As the sobs shook her body, she remained there on the floor, letting the emotions rip right through her.

  On the other side of the door, Kyro stood staring at the flat panel.

  Resting his forehead against it, he took a deep breath.

  This was for the best.

  For the best.

  For the best.

  He’d have to repeat that a thousand times till it stuck in his head as the truth—no matter how long that took—for his heart was telling him something else.

  It was a pity he couldn’t listen.

  32

  Activating the screen of her datapad, Evren confirmed once more.

  She had enough credits.

  Enough to take a shuttle to the Intergalactic Hub. Enough to leave the base behind...enough to leave Kyro behind.

  The thought had her swallowing back the regret, fear, and sadness she felt.

  She needed to do this.

  There wasn’t a choice.

  Grabbing the bag she’d packed, mind erasing device deep inside, she took one last look around the apartment she’d never made home but which still felt, nonetheless, like home.

  Something she didn’t expect to feel was there, lingering behind her eyes as she looked around the room—she was going to miss this place.

  Her bag was clutched in her hand in the next second, her datapad shoved into a pocket of the cargo pants she wore. Keeping her eyes in front of her, she exited the apartment and began making her way to the ship port, walking down the street but not seeing anyone. The general hustle and bustle was lost on her until she reached Kyro’s building.

  It took everything within her not to stop and look up to his window. Would he be there looking out? Would she see him one last time?

  She couldn’t look. If she looked, she didn’t think she had it in her to continue on her way, and she needed to leave. For both of them...for him...she needed to leave.

  As she walked past his building, she could feel a noticeable crack in the shell she was weaving around her heart.

  This was the hardest thing she’d ever done in her life and the walk to the dock the longest.

  Glancing behind her as she went, she knew what she was looking for. But no skunkats trailed her. He hadn’t shifted into the animal to follow her.

  When she finally arrived at the dock, it was busier than she’d thought it would be.

  Every few seconds, a ship landed only to take off again.

  Looking around to get her bearings, she wished she could read the signs but her own research on the datapad had shown her which symbol she needed to look for to board the right ship.

  She was just looking around at the signs for that symbol when she spotted someone watching her from the shadows of one of the parked vessels.

  At first, it wasn’t evident, and she had to squint a bit, the bright sun putting her at a disadvantage, but when her eyes adjusted, a chill ran down her body.

  Shive.

  He was in the shadows, his gaze focused on her as if he’d been watching her for a while...following her.

  Alarm and irritation made the skin at the back of her neck prickle.

  Maybe it was the anger that she felt at her situation for having to leave the one thing she actually liked about getting abducted, anger at having to leave Kyro...or maybe she was just angry at the fact that her choices didn’t feel like her own, they felt forced, like things she had to do, not things she chose to do...maybe it was all that, but she was tired of Shive trailing her, watching her, planning whatever he was planning.

  Sliding her hand in her pocket, she gripped the cutting instrument that she’d put there.

  He should confront her today. The motherfucker wouldn’t know what hit him.

  “Oh, look who it is!” M’Agunt’s voice cut through her thoughts and made her skin crawl at the same time. He was dressed in a purple, shimmery dress that would have given any drag queen a run for their money. As he moved up to her, the snarl must have still been on her face because his grin faltered for a bit. “Oh. Is everything all right?”

  He seemed to be faking concern or maybe it was just her imagination and general dislike o
f every being at the moment. But that little second of hesitation caused some of the anger clouding her mind to dissipate a bit.

  Sighing, she looked back to where Shive had been only to see that he’d slipped away.

  Bastard.

  “Sorry, M’Agunt” She forced a smile as she turned back to face the merchant. It wasn’t his fault she was always in a bad mood when she saw him—though, some of the times the bad mood was because of him. “I was a little distracted.”

  “I see. I see.” He looked her over, his eyes falling to the bag she held in her hand. “Are you heading off base?”

  For a second, she debated not telling him where she was going but then decided, why not? What harm could come of him knowing? She doubted he’d try to maintain a friendship with her if he thought she was leaving. After all, his store was on the base and he had to run it.

  “The Interplanetary Hub.”

  “Ah.” His eyes lit up. “That’s where I am heading.” He eyed her bag again. “There is space in my shuttle.” He looked at her, something passing behind his eyes that made her skin crawl. “You should ride with me.”

  She began shaking her head even before the words formed on her lips. “No. That’s okay.”

  M’Agunt’s face fell in that classic M’Agunt style. His skin drooped and sadness was present in his gaze immediately. She realized then that this must be some characteristic similar to a puppy-dog stare.

  His forlorn look made her feel as if she was being unfair and was treating him badly.

  “It is a long ride to the Hub. And an uncomfortable one in the public shuttles...” he said. “My shuttle is leaving soon and would be a much more comfortable ride.”

  Evren looked at the tentacle guy. He’d only ever tried to be her friend. The least she could do was to entertain him this once. Plus, as a merchant, he probably knew a lot about the Hub. He might turn out to be a good companion on her trip.

  You know what, fine, she’d ride with him.

  She was already feeling like shit, she doubted he could worsen her mood.

  “Are you sure you have space? I don’t want to be a bother...”

  M’Agunt’s face lit up. “You are riding with me?” Something passed through his eyes that she couldn’t determine. “This was easier than I thought.” He said that last line a little under his breath, but she’d heard him, and it caused her brows to furrow.

  Just what did he mean by that?

  “What do you mean by that?”

  She swore his color paled a little, but he recovered quickly. “You usually brush away my offers of friendship. I am merely surprised.”

  Ah.

  Something about him still rubbed her the wrong way but it could be because he was more alien than most of the aliens she’d been close to so far. He had tentacles after all.

  She’d put it down to that.

  “Here comes my shuttle,” M’Agunt said beside her, looking off into the distance.

  Turning in the direction he was facing, she saw a large shuttle approaching. It looked much cleaner and newer than the other shuttles arriving and departing from the station.

  As the vessel stopped by their feet and the door hissed open, Evren was treated to the interior. Plush cushions lined the seats. It was obviously not public transport.

  “After you.” M’Agunt’s voice seemed really close and when she turned, he was right behind her. Far too close for her liking. She’d have to establish some ground rules if they were going to travel together.

  Taking a step forward toward the shuttle, Evren gulped, her head turning toward the street that led back to the apartments.

  Once she boarded the shuttle, that was it.

  It was goodbye forever.

  She was going toward a new life and she wouldn’t even remember anything she and Kyro had shared.

  Taking another step, she looked back again.

  “I can’t do this...”

  “What?” M’Agunt’s eyes grew large. “You must board. You have already accepted.”

  She could have sworn his temper was beginning to flare, but she didn’t even have time to notice it.

  “I can’t do this,” she repeated, finally focusing on M’Agunt as her own eyes widened with clarity.

  She couldn’t do it.

  She couldn’t just leave and forget about Kyro.

  What they’d shared, it was special.

  It was everything.

  She’d been stupid to think she could just escape and forget about her problems.

  She needed him.

  There must be some way for them to work it out. Maybe she could convince him to follow her to some unknown planet where they could live together without worrying about each other’s safety.

  They could find a way.

  Heck, she’d even live on the desert planet called Muk.

  If it meant they could be together, she’d do anything.

  Only...she didn’t know if he felt the same. Would he give up his life for her if she asked him to?

  There was only one way to find out.

  Taking off at a run, she only heard M’Agunt’s grunt of anger as she left the station but heading back towards the apartments felt right.

  She couldn’t leave.

  Her future was big, gray, and sexy. She could see that now.

  She only needed him to see the same.

  33

  Excitement thrummed through Evren as she weaved her way through the crowds heading to the station. By the time she got to the market, every nerve ending in her body was excited. When she made it to the street leading to the apartments, she was biting her lip in anticipation and worry.

  What if he sent her away?

  What if he didn’t feel as deeply as she did?

  What if she was making a bad decision?

  She’d find out soon enough.

  She was excited...but she was also scared.

  Kyro was in her head. Ever since they’d parted by her door, he’d been in her head. She couldn’t get him out of her thoughts, and it had nothing to do with the mind-blowing sex, the thick dick, or the constant orgasms.

  Sharing those moments with him only underlined that whatever she was feeling for him was real. It wasn’t just based on sexual attraction. The night she’d spent with him told her that whatever was between them was so much more.

  Even as she hurried down the street, she wondered how she could have even considered leaving.

  How could she have left his lame jokes behind?

  His scorching looks?

  His rare smiles?

  She wouldn’t just miss out on all that, she’d also miss out on his friendship—and it had been the only thing to pull her from the pit of depression she’d been falling into.

  She’d been stupid. So stupid to not have fought for him harder.

  What they had was something most humans on Earth dreamed of. She could already feel it.

  He was meant for her.

  They were meant for each other.

  It was so clear now.

  Funny it took almost getting on a ship with Mr. Tentacle, M’Agunt, for her to realize that.

  As she reached his building, she looked up to the second floor. It was still early. Maybe he hadn’t gone out for the day yet and she could still catch him.

  Entering the gravity lift, her body feeling lighter as she floated up to his floor, she waited impatiently. As soon as the doors to the lift opened, she all but dashed from it. She didn’t stop running until she was standing at his door.

  Taking a few breaths, she tried to calm herself and think straight.

  What was she going to say?

  Please, let me stay? I’ll stay inside all the time; I won’t go out.

  Sounded too beggy.

  I love you. I know that now. Just...be with me. We can find a way.

  She screwed up her nose at that one, wringing her hands as she did.

  Kyro, I just realized I don’t need my job to be happy...

  Who knows, maybe I co
uld even work with you analyzing data...

  It doesn’t matter what I do for a living or where I am, I only want to be with you...

  Sounded good enough.

  Raising her hand, she depressed the panel by the door, aware that inside the apartment, the chime would go off.

  She was standing there for a few seconds, moving her weight from one foot to the other, when she realized no one was coming to the door. Not Kyro. Not Rokan.

  Depressing the panel again, she waited.

  Had she arrived after they’d gone out?

  When the door remained closed, Evren’s shoulders slumped. A closed door would not deter her though.

  Pulling her datapad from her pocket, she sent Kyro a message.

  “Hey. I’m at your apartment. Are you home?”

  Biting what was left of her nails, she watched the screen, pacing as she did.

  After a few minutes of no response, she sent another message.

  “I need to see you. This is important.”

  Still no reply.

  After a few more minutes of pacing, she tried to connect with him via video, but the call wouldn’t go through.

  Error message: recipient not connected to the network.

  She assumed that meant his device was off.

  Slipping her datapad back into her pocket, she leaned against his door.

  Of all the times to turn off his datapad, this had to be one of the worst occasions.

  It was either that or he was blocking her, and she hoped to God it wasn’t the latter.

  Easing off his door, she went back down to the street, her steps not as swift as they’d been when she’d been rushing to his place.

  Now, her steps were unsure.

  Looking in the direction of her apartment, she decided to head there instead. She could at least leave her bag and wait there before returning later.

  With that in mind, she began weaving her way through the stream of market-goers. It was crazy that so many people were out so early, but she guessed they all had big days ahead of them. She surely did.

  She was just passing one of the alleyways when she spotted something in the corner of her eye.

  It was one of those gray skunkats.

  Her heart flipped and missed a beat.