Read Online Beyond by Maureen A. Miller - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Maureen A. Miller
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necks back and stared up at him, slack-jawed. Gordy, stirred at her side and braved a step forward. "How many ships did you get, Zak?"
Zak crossed his arms. The form-fitting black uniform glistened over muscular shoulders. With his focus on Gordy, Aimee stole the opportunity to stare. His hair was dark and short and looked much different than the flaxen style that seemed predominant amongst the males of the ship. His jawline was sculpted into a permanent look of conviction. His cheekbones were high and lent an exotic air to his face. When he smiled at Gordy, Zak's profile was truly handsome, so much so that Aimee realized she was holding her breath just waiting to hear his husky voice.
"At least four, Gordeelum."
"Were you scared?" Gordy asked.
Zak grinned. "Oh yeah. I was scared. But I couldn't let you down now could I?"
Gordy giggled. "You did good . I can't wait until I can be a warrior." He pointed his finger and this time his cheeks puffed up to make explosion sounds.
"If you're as good in the seat of a terra angel as you were on that Tak, you'll be a great warrior."
"You heard me?" Gordy beamed.
"Yeah. It sounded great."
Gordy glanced up at Aimee. "She taught me."
Aimee felt the golden eyes converge on her. Again his grin slipped. Why? She tried to over-compensate with an exaggerated smile. "He had it in him all along. I just gave him a little guidance."
Zak said nothing.
"Thank you for saving our lives today," she added. Oh God, that sounded lame.
Again he remained mute. After an awkward moment of silence he addressed Chara. "I managed to board the Koron’s ship. I have some samples for the atrium."
Chara's dark eyebrows descended. "Oh Zak." She looked sympathetic. "You didn't have to board their ship. Are you alright?"
Zak's expression was strained and his answer was curt. "Yes."
Uncomfortable under Chara's compassion, he continued. "Vodu wants me to take her there." He jerked his head at Aimee.
Aimee came alert.
"That's a great idea," Chara agreed, rising to her feet. "Alright, everyone, show me what you've learned today."
She stood tolerant as the circle of children wrapped around her.
Aimee glanced at Zak and he gave a curt nod. “Follow me."
***
Out in the corridor, Zak reached for a floating table. Atop it rested an object concealed beneath a cloth. Zak touched the chrome corner of the table and set it into motion as it progressed down the corridor at a measured pace before him. Aimee quickened her step to match his stride.
"That came from the Koron’s ship?" She nodded at the ambiguous lump.
"Yes."
"How did you get on board their ship?"
He snapped his hand and the elevator door slid open. "I flew into their landing bay."
"And they didn't shoot you?" She followed him and his portable table inside.
Zak tapped the second green button. Hah, she knew that already.
"No." He leaned back against the alabaster wall, looking like a black exclamation point. "We had already disabled all their war-crafts."
"Were you hurt?" Aimee studied the lean lines of his torso, searching for any tinges of color in the onyx suit.
"No." His eyes dropped to her chest and traced down to her stomach. "Were you?"
Aimee's hand splayed over her stomach and the butterflies flitting around inside it. "No," she whispered.
They traveled in silence, the horizontal inertia setting her on edge. She mimicked his stance and leaned back against the wall.
"I get it," she whispered.
Perhaps it was the soft pitch of her voice, but Zak turned to look at her. "What do you get?"
"That I'm a big inconvenience to you. That you're some hotshot warrior and you don't have time to be showing some...some..." Heck, what should she refer to herself as? "Some alien around."
"Some alien."
She looked up, hoping he might have smiled at the depiction, but his jaw was locked and his eyes were trained on the far wall.
"I get that I'm a burden around here, but I didn't ask for any of this. I don't want to be an inconvenience. I want to
Zak crossed his arms. The form-fitting black uniform glistened over muscular shoulders. With his focus on Gordy, Aimee stole the opportunity to stare. His hair was dark and short and looked much different than the flaxen style that seemed predominant amongst the males of the ship. His jawline was sculpted into a permanent look of conviction. His cheekbones were high and lent an exotic air to his face. When he smiled at Gordy, Zak's profile was truly handsome, so much so that Aimee realized she was holding her breath just waiting to hear his husky voice.
"At least four, Gordeelum."
"Were you scared?" Gordy asked.
Zak grinned. "Oh yeah. I was scared. But I couldn't let you down now could I?"
Gordy giggled. "You did good . I can't wait until I can be a warrior." He pointed his finger and this time his cheeks puffed up to make explosion sounds.
"If you're as good in the seat of a terra angel as you were on that Tak, you'll be a great warrior."
"You heard me?" Gordy beamed.
"Yeah. It sounded great."
Gordy glanced up at Aimee. "She taught me."
Aimee felt the golden eyes converge on her. Again his grin slipped. Why? She tried to over-compensate with an exaggerated smile. "He had it in him all along. I just gave him a little guidance."
Zak said nothing.
"Thank you for saving our lives today," she added. Oh God, that sounded lame.
Again he remained mute. After an awkward moment of silence he addressed Chara. "I managed to board the Koron’s ship. I have some samples for the atrium."
Chara's dark eyebrows descended. "Oh Zak." She looked sympathetic. "You didn't have to board their ship. Are you alright?"
Zak's expression was strained and his answer was curt. "Yes."
Uncomfortable under Chara's compassion, he continued. "Vodu wants me to take her there." He jerked his head at Aimee.
Aimee came alert.
"That's a great idea," Chara agreed, rising to her feet. "Alright, everyone, show me what you've learned today."
She stood tolerant as the circle of children wrapped around her.
Aimee glanced at Zak and he gave a curt nod. “Follow me."
***
Out in the corridor, Zak reached for a floating table. Atop it rested an object concealed beneath a cloth. Zak touched the chrome corner of the table and set it into motion as it progressed down the corridor at a measured pace before him. Aimee quickened her step to match his stride.
"That came from the Koron’s ship?" She nodded at the ambiguous lump.
"Yes."
"How did you get on board their ship?"
He snapped his hand and the elevator door slid open. "I flew into their landing bay."
"And they didn't shoot you?" She followed him and his portable table inside.
Zak tapped the second green button. Hah, she knew that already.
"No." He leaned back against the alabaster wall, looking like a black exclamation point. "We had already disabled all their war-crafts."
"Were you hurt?" Aimee studied the lean lines of his torso, searching for any tinges of color in the onyx suit.
"No." His eyes dropped to her chest and traced down to her stomach. "Were you?"
Aimee's hand splayed over her stomach and the butterflies flitting around inside it. "No," she whispered.
They traveled in silence, the horizontal inertia setting her on edge. She mimicked his stance and leaned back against the wall.
"I get it," she whispered.
Perhaps it was the soft pitch of her voice, but Zak turned to look at her. "What do you get?"
"That I'm a big inconvenience to you. That you're some hotshot warrior and you don't have time to be showing some...some..." Heck, what should she refer to herself as? "Some alien around."
"Some alien."
She looked up, hoping he might have smiled at the depiction, but his jaw was locked and his eyes were trained on the far wall.
"I get that I'm a burden around here, but I didn't ask for any of this. I don't want to be an inconvenience. I want to
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