Read Online 1942664419 (S) by Jennifer M. Eaton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer M. Eaton
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covering melt away. My gaze had barely lingered on his lilac form, instead focusing on his brilliant, turquoise eyes. Yes, I’d smiled. “Because for the first time I saw the real you, and everything I’d grown to know and trust was still in your eyes. I didn’t see an Erescopian, David. I saw you: the guy I’d run through the woods with, the guy who listened, the guy who … ” saved me while I was supposed to be saving him.
He leaned forward, and I brushed my cheek against his. A tingle shot through me, only slightly less intense than before. He was perfection incarnate. How could something that felt so right ever be wrong?
“Turn on the lights, David.”
He stepped away. I had to control myself not to follow, to not throw myself back into his arms. The draw, the need, the pressure overwhelmed beyond measure.
The lights flipped on, blinding me for a moment. Silence surrounded me.
I was alone.
9
The walls seemed to close in. The air congealed and stifled, stealing my breath and restricting my movement. Or maybe the confinement had come from within me.
Why did I have to flinch? I knew David wouldn’t have hair.
I placed my hands on the cold, hard, impenetrable steel-like walls. Maybe you needed to be Erescopian for the doors to open?
The wall shimmered beside me, like the moon shining down on a lake. David was coming back! My heart fluttered. I ached to touch him again, to finally see him without his human mask.
Nematali materialized through the wall. I inched forward, but David didn’t follow her. Hope drained from my body, leaving a welt of disappointment pressing against my chest.
“Where’s David?”
“He has retreated to another part of the ship.”
“Then take me to him.”
Her expression flattened. “I cannot.”
I shoved her. “Yes, you can. Don’t lie to me.”
Her wide eyes softened. “I’m sorry. He asked me not to.”
The words sunk into me. Slashing through every fiber. “Why?”
“I don’t know what happened between the two of you on Earth, but I find his reactions to your presence very—disquieting.”
“It’s none of your business.” The raise of her brow told me she was making it her business. I tugged my hair. “Please, David means the world to me, and I just made a stupid mistake. Please take me to him so I can apologize.”
“Your predicament is an unfortunate one.”
“It doesn’t have to be unfortunate! Let me say I’m sorry!”
Nematali took in a deep, slow breath. “When he is upset, he normally submerses himself in work. The Mars Project is on our tour schedule.”
I straightened. “So you’ll take me to him?”
“No, but we can arrive at the Mars Project earlier than scheduled—by accident.”
A smile burst through the tears running down my face. I hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
She wiped away the kiss, staring at her hand. “Indeed.”
I followed as she motioned me down the hall. The plain, swirling silver seemed to close in. How could these people live every second of every day in such a dreary, colorless existence? No wonder David …
Something distorted the partition beside me. I gasped and stumbled, nearly plowing into Nematali.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Something’s there.” I pointed to the wall—the naked, clean, shiny wall of nothing.
Nematali glanced my way, her expression vacant. God, I must seem like a total idiot to this woman. Even I could see there was nothing there.
But there had been. I saw it. It was like a demon bubble. Stalking. Watching. Dwelling just below that stinking liquid partition, waiting to jump out and grab me!
She rubbed her hands against the metal surface, probably to humor me. I tensed, waiting for something to pop out and scream, “boo!” Or worse.
I should have been happy when nothing happened, but instead, my stomach sank. Did I have space sickness or something?
Nematali folded her arms and turned toward me.
“I swear there was
He leaned forward, and I brushed my cheek against his. A tingle shot through me, only slightly less intense than before. He was perfection incarnate. How could something that felt so right ever be wrong?
“Turn on the lights, David.”
He stepped away. I had to control myself not to follow, to not throw myself back into his arms. The draw, the need, the pressure overwhelmed beyond measure.
The lights flipped on, blinding me for a moment. Silence surrounded me.
I was alone.
9
The walls seemed to close in. The air congealed and stifled, stealing my breath and restricting my movement. Or maybe the confinement had come from within me.
Why did I have to flinch? I knew David wouldn’t have hair.
I placed my hands on the cold, hard, impenetrable steel-like walls. Maybe you needed to be Erescopian for the doors to open?
The wall shimmered beside me, like the moon shining down on a lake. David was coming back! My heart fluttered. I ached to touch him again, to finally see him without his human mask.
Nematali materialized through the wall. I inched forward, but David didn’t follow her. Hope drained from my body, leaving a welt of disappointment pressing against my chest.
“Where’s David?”
“He has retreated to another part of the ship.”
“Then take me to him.”
Her expression flattened. “I cannot.”
I shoved her. “Yes, you can. Don’t lie to me.”
Her wide eyes softened. “I’m sorry. He asked me not to.”
The words sunk into me. Slashing through every fiber. “Why?”
“I don’t know what happened between the two of you on Earth, but I find his reactions to your presence very—disquieting.”
“It’s none of your business.” The raise of her brow told me she was making it her business. I tugged my hair. “Please, David means the world to me, and I just made a stupid mistake. Please take me to him so I can apologize.”
“Your predicament is an unfortunate one.”
“It doesn’t have to be unfortunate! Let me say I’m sorry!”
Nematali took in a deep, slow breath. “When he is upset, he normally submerses himself in work. The Mars Project is on our tour schedule.”
I straightened. “So you’ll take me to him?”
“No, but we can arrive at the Mars Project earlier than scheduled—by accident.”
A smile burst through the tears running down my face. I hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
She wiped away the kiss, staring at her hand. “Indeed.”
I followed as she motioned me down the hall. The plain, swirling silver seemed to close in. How could these people live every second of every day in such a dreary, colorless existence? No wonder David …
Something distorted the partition beside me. I gasped and stumbled, nearly plowing into Nematali.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Something’s there.” I pointed to the wall—the naked, clean, shiny wall of nothing.
Nematali glanced my way, her expression vacant. God, I must seem like a total idiot to this woman. Even I could see there was nothing there.
But there had been. I saw it. It was like a demon bubble. Stalking. Watching. Dwelling just below that stinking liquid partition, waiting to jump out and grab me!
She rubbed her hands against the metal surface, probably to humor me. I tensed, waiting for something to pop out and scream, “boo!” Or worse.
I should have been happy when nothing happened, but instead, my stomach sank. Did I have space sickness or something?
Nematali folded her arms and turned toward me.
“I swear there was
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