Page 5 of Eclipse Bound (Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides #7)
"I'll pass," Rowan said. "We have to work tomorrow."
"Your loss!" Stephanie called over her shoulder as she bounced away. "Text me if you change your mind."
Rowan called herself off shift on the walkie-talkie and drove home to her small rental on the outskirts of town.
She'd moved to Duskrock six months ago after her life in Phoenix imploded.
Which was a nice way of saying broken engagement, lost job, house fire, anger issues ex.
The retreat coordinator position had seemed like a perfect escape, a chance to recalibrate in a place known for healing. No drama. Low risk of a lawsuit.
And until today, it had been getting a little monotonous. She hated to admit that being on the front lines had given her a bit of a familiar rush, and like an adrenaline junkie, it would be so easy to jump right back into her old habits.
In Duskrock, she'd found herself surrounded by crystal healers, chakra aligners, and people who genuinely believed aliens regularly visited Earth to... what? Tune the vibrations of their energy fields? Steal their DNA? Take selfies with the red rocks?
Or her favorite. Probing orifices.
Why were aliens always so fascinated with the anus? She thought that said a lot more about humans than it did about the UFOs.
She pulled into her driveway, noticing her neighbor, Mrs. Lowen, peering through her curtains. The older woman had probably been watching the news about the crash and would corner Rowan for details if she lingered outside for too long.
Inside her house, Rowan kicked off her shoes, put the walkie-talkie on the charger, and headed straight for the shower.
She let the hot water wash away the desert dust and lingering smell of smoke, while she tried to convince herself that what she'd seen was just some kind of drone or a publicity stunt for a new sci-fi movie.
But those men...
There had been something about the way they moved, something in their expressions. She couldn’t shake it. The tall one had looked at her with such intensity, like he was trying to peer into her soul.
Or maybe she’d read one too many romance novels.
Either way, she felt compelled to deny it, especially to Stephanie, who didn't need more encouragement.
After her shower, wrapped in a comfortable robe, Rowan made herself a cup of chamomile tea and settled onto her small back patio that overlooked the valley.
The sun was setting, painting the red rocks in brilliant oranges and purples.
This view was what had sold her on the rental, even though it stretched her budget.
Her phone buzzed with a text from Stephanie, “Aliens at the Crash Zone! Get your ass over here!”
Attached was a blurry photo of what looked like the back of someone's head at a crowded bar.
Rowan sighed and put down her phone without responding.
She was not going to get sucked into Stephanie's alien conspiracy theories.
Tomorrow would be busy enough dealing with the aftermath at the retreat, fielding calls from curious tourists, and probably having to issue refunds to guests whose spiritual journeys had been interrupted by falling space debris.
Even though they would dine on that story for the rest of their lives, people were people, and they'd use any excuse they could to get a discount.
She was just about to head inside when movement in her peripheral vision made her freeze. Someone lurked in her yard near the fence line where her property met the desert.
"Hello?" she called out, immediately regretting it. If it were an intruder, announcing her presence would not have been the smartest move. Every horror story told her that much.
Silence answered her. Then a soft rustling sound.
Rowan grabbed her phone, ready to call 911, when a figure stepped into the dim light cast through her window.
It was him. The tall man from earlier.
He stood perfectly still, watching her with those strange, intense eyes. He wore what looked like cutoff yoga pants and a plain t-shirt that was too tight across his shoulders, as if the clothes didn’t actually belong to him.
"Can I help you?" Rowan asked, her voice steadier than she felt. There came that adrenaline rush again, teasing her senses, begging her to run forward when she should back away.
The man tilted his head slightly, studying her. When he finally spoke, his voice was surprisingly melodic, with an accent she couldn't place. “I have come to speak to an authority.”
Rowan frowned.
He touched the side of his neck. “Is my translator malfunctioning? Can you understand my words?”
She wasn’t sure how to answer that. “Uh, yes, I understand you.”
"You saw us."
It wasn't a question.
"I saw a lot of people today," Rowan replied carefully. "It was chaotic."
"Yes." He nodded, as if pleased with her answer.
His arms twitched like they were trying to get out of his skin. His delusions could be running very deep. She needed to be careful.
"Chaos is an effective camouflage," he said. "It allowed us to walk amongst the locals."
Okay, so he was a weirdo. Or on drugs. Possibly both. Rowan's fingers hovered over her phone screen.
"Look, sir, I don't know what you want, but you're trespassing on private property," she said firmly. “You can’t be here.”
"I apologize for the intrusion." He stepped closer, and Rowan again noticed something odd about his movements. They were too fluid, like he glided rather than walked. "I am Eclipse. I need your assistance."
"Eclipse?” Rowan frowned. "Is that your actual name?"
I mean, sure. It was possible. One of the pool girls at the retreat was named Cosmos.
"Eclipsyionic. But Eclipse Bound is the name I have been assigned for this mission," he replied, completely serious. “Bound is the surname.”
She took in a steadying breath. This man was deep in his roleplay.
"Right. Well, Eclipse, unless your mission is to get arrested for trespassing, I suggest you leave." Rowan tried to appear more confident than she felt. "Now."
He stopped advancing but didn't retreat. "I have no wish to be taken by Earth militants. But I must speak with you. You work at the facility where we were to arrive. You have access."
"Access to what? The yoga retreat?" Rowan laughed despite her nervousness. "Anyone can book a class online."
"We require accommodation that will not draw attention," he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "The dwelling provided by Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides has proven inadequate."
Rowan blinked. "Galaxy Alien... what now?"
She frowned and looked around the lawn to see if someone was hiding. She felt eyes on her, but couldn’t detect anyone. Was this Stephanie trying to pull a prank?
Eclipse sighed. "The corporation responsible for our transit to this location. They have placed us in a structure that does not offer sufficient separation between Solar and Lunar. I fear they may destroy each other before our visit can properly begin."
“Stephanie? Is this you?” Rowan called. “Very funny.”
“No. My name is Eclipse,” he answered. “Eclipse Bound. Bound is a surname.”
“So you’re not happy with your tour group package?” Rowan asked, finally unlocking her phone.
“No. The travel was a death trap, and they have abandoned us,” he answered. “I watched you organize the people. You are the contact authority we need to talk to.”
"Okay, I think you need help that I can't provide," she said, deciding to call the police. "I'm going to call someone who?—"
In a movement too fast to track, Eclipse was suddenly beside her, taking the phone from her hand.
"Please," he said quietly. "I do not wish to cause alarm. But I must ensure the success of this mission. The peace of my world depends on it. I have been watching you. Your energies are not like the others here."
Up close, Rowan noticed that his skin had a strange, subtle shimmer to it, not quite golden like his friend from earlier, but not normal either. And his eyes weren’t any color she'd seen before, somewhere between dusk and twilight.
"Your... world," she repeated slowly.
Eclipse nodded.
“You expect me to believe that you’re from…” She couldn’t look away from his eyes. Were they contacts? Why were tiny stars moving in his gaze like he contained a galaxy inside his head? She slowly pointed toward the sky.
"Zorveya. We are not from your planet. I believe that is now obvious."
Rowan stared at him for a long moment. Then she started to laugh. She couldn't help it. The stress of the day, the absurdity of this conversation, it was all too much.
"Of course you're not," she said between laughs. "You're aliens. Why not? This is Duskrock, after all. We get all types here."
Eclipse frowned, clearly not understanding her reaction. "Your skepticism is understandable but inconvenient."
"Look, Mr. Bound," Rowan composed herself. "I've had a very long day. I had to deal with a lot of overexcited tourists. I'm tired. I probably have a touch of heat stroke. So if you could just give me back my phone and leave, I'd appreciate it."
"The device." Eclipse looked down at the phone in his hand as if just remembering he'd taken it. He handed it back to her carefully. "I apologize for the intrusion. But I must insist that you consider my request.”
Rowan glanced down at her phone and noticed it was fully charged. That wasn’t right. Her battery had been at eleven percent.
"Which is what, exactly? To help you find a new hotel because your friends don't get along?"
"Essentially, yes," Eclipse replied with complete seriousness. "The Crimson Rock structure has a room that is too containing. Solar requires light. Lunar requires darkness. I require them not to kill each other before our diplomatic mission can be completed."
Rowan rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. "And this mission is...?"
"To find suitable Earth mates and demonstrate that cooperation between opposing factions is possible."
"Mates?" Rowan choked. "Like breeding partners? Strippers? Prostitutes?"