Page 6 of Eclipse Bound (Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides #7)
Why was she entertaining this conversation? Maybe she was the one who needed a doctor. Severe dehydration could cause hallucinations.
“Yeah, I don’t work for that kind of hotel,” Rowan said. “I wouldn’t even know how to procure a hooker for you and your friends. Maybe you should try Nevada where it’s legal.”
Eclipse's expression shifted slightly, almost embarrassed.
"No, we do not wish to hook a female. We are not Bevlon.
The corporation refers to them as brides, though I find the term reductive.
The goal is to form meaningful connections with compatible humans to prove that vastly different beings can coexist harmoniously.
It is not mandatory that we succeed in that task, but it is mandatory that we try as a unit.
I believe this may all be a test and they are monitoring our progress. "
"I see." Rowan didn't see at all. "And let me guess, I'm supposed to be one of these compatible humans?"
"That was not my intention in coming here," Eclipse said quickly. "Though my matching algorithm did identify you as a potential candidate."
"The matching algorithm," Rowan repeated flatly. He sounded like what she imagined AI would sound like if it tried to take human form.
"Yes. When you approached us in the crowd, your biorhythms registered as harmony-compatible with my own." Eclipse stated this as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "But that is secondary to our immediate shelter needs."
Rowan took a deep breath. This guy was clearly delusional, possibly dangerous, but also oddly compelling.
And if he was staying at the Crimson Rock Inn with two other guys who couldn't stand each other, well, she could understand wanting different accommodations.
That place was notorious for its paper-thin walls.
"Okay, Eclipse, here's what I can do," she said finally. "I can give you the names of a few vacation rentals that might have availability. Places where your friends can have some space from each other. But that's it. I'm not getting involved in whatever roleplay scenario you've got going on."
"Roleplay?" Eclipse looked genuinely confused. He tapped under his ear. “I do not think that is translating correctly.”
"You know, pretending to be aliens looking for wives." Rowan waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, Duskrock attracts all kinds. No judgment. But I'm not interested in being part of it."
Eclipse stood very still for a moment. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, metallic object. The patio light appeared to get sucked inside, as if it drew power from the light source.
"Perhaps this will help clarify matters," he said, pressing the object between his fingers.
It hummed to life, projecting a three-dimensional image into the air between them. A detailed map of stars and planets rotated before centering on an orb with distinct light and dark hemispheres.
"This is Zorveya," Eclipse explained. "My home. Currently on the brink of civil war between the light and shadow zones. Our mission here is not a roleplay. It is a last-ditch effort to prove that coexistence is possible."
Rowan stared at the hologram, her mind racing.
She reached her hand into the image. It moved around her fingers, undisturbed.
Her hand tingled as if electricity flowed into her.
This wasn’t a trick of light or some app on a smartphone.
The projection had depth, detail, and moved in ways that defied logic.
"This isn't real," she whispered, but her conviction was wavering. She touched the object in his hand, careful not to brush his skin. It wasn’t metal. It felt like dipping her finger into oil. She jerked her hand back. Her finger remained clean.
"I assure you it is," Eclipse said quietly. "And now, I must ask for your discretion as well as your help. For both our worlds' sake."
Rowan looked at Eclipse's face. There was no deception she could detect. Just a weary determination. But then how would she know what deception looked like in an alien?
"I must return to prevent Solar and Lunar from destroying the accommodations," Eclipse said, deactivating the device.
The hologram vanished, leaving Rowan blinking in the sudden dimness. The porch light brightened behind her.
"But I will come back tomorrow. Perhaps by then, you will have considered my request.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash, pushing it into her hand. His fingers swept over hers, and she felt an electrical jolt. “Here, for the shelter. We have more currency if you require it.”
Before Rowan could respond, Eclipse stepped back into the shadows at the edge of her yard and seemed to simply fade from view. One moment he was there, the next gone, with no sound of retreating footsteps.
Rowan stood frozen on her patio for several seconds before being propelled into action. She rushed inside, locked every door and window, and poured herself something stronger than tea. As she sipped her emergency whiskey, she picked up her phone and stared at Stephanie's message.
After a long moment, she typed a reply, “I don’t think that’s them.”