Runner's Moon: Yarrolam (10 page)

            “Funny, I’ve never asked you before. What do you do for a living?” he inquired.

            “I’m a PA. A physician’s assistant. I’m doing my residency at Saint Michael’s Lutheran Hospital in Avon, but I hope someday to open a clinic. Take in walk-in patients.” She frowned slightly. “Guess my dream’s pretty much shattered, huh?”

            “This isn’t over, Cherron, but it’s not the end of the world, either. You may still get your clinic one day. Don’t give up hope. But tell me, what’s a physician’s assistant? Is that like a nurse?”

            “Oh, heaven’s, no. It’s a step above a licensed nurse, but a step below a doctor. I can treat patients and prescribe medication, with some limitations.”

            Another call went over the PA system for a bus heading to Mobile. Liam grabbed their suitcase and got to his feet. Holding out his hand to her, Cherron stared at it, and the image of a huge green appendage with curved claws superimposed itself over it. She hadn’t imagined them. They really existed. But they would never harm her. Never threaten her. He had used those alien hands to protect her and defend her, both in the parking lot and at the houseboat.

           
I must be out of my mind, but at this moment, I really don’t give a damn.

            Glancing up at him, she confidently placed her hand in his. Together, they exited the terminal to board their ride.

Chapter 14

Gulfport

            She fell asleep before they left New Orleans. She couldn’t help herself. With her cheek pillowed on his shoulder, his spicy aroma filling every breath, she was rocked into sweet unconsciousness. It wasn’t until the bus slowed as it pulled into a terminal that she finally awoke and glanced around. The overhead lights came on, temporarily blinding her, and forcing her to lift a hand to shield her eyes until they adjusted.

            “Are we here already?”

            “No. This is Gulfport. We’re stopping to let off some passengers, and take more on.”

            “Fifteen minute stop, folks,” the driver announced. “If you want to get up and stretch your legs, make sure you stay near the bus, or else you might get left behind.”

            “Want to get up and walk around a bit?” Liam asked.

            Cherron shook her head. “I’m fine. Maybe at the next stop.” She noticed how the people in the seats around them left the bus, leaving the two of them alone. Taking advantage of the momentary privacy, she reached over and took one of his hands. It appeared normal, nondescript, just like his current alias. She frowned slightly. Alias? Mask? Disguise?

            “What’s wrong?” he whispered.

            “This shape changing thing you do.”

            “What about it?” He sounded guarded, almost afraid.

            She tapped his hand. “What do you look like for real? What’s the real you?
Who
is the real you? I thought I saw these big, beast-like claws on your hand when you attacked those men in the parking lot. I tried to convince myself I’d imagined it, until I saw them again at the houseboat.”

            Liam sighed as he flexed his fingers. “I promise to show you the real me. Soon, but not here. There could be security cameras on board.”

            “Did I imagine those claws?”

            He slowly shook his head. “No.”

            She stared into his eyes. Into dark brown, almost chocolate-colored eyes with the silvery, sparkly flecks. Cherron blinked. “You forgot to change your eyes.”

            “Unfortunately, those are the only feature I have no control over. Only my outward features.”

            “I’ve never seen eyes like yours. Is it unique to what you are?”

            “Yes.” He hesitated slightly. “Cherron, there are many things about my people you need to know before I show you my true self.”

            “Let me guess. You’re a little green alien.” She managed to grin lopsidedly. An image popped into her head similar to the cute little gray-colored beings she’d seen on television, except with claws.

            “Actually, I’m a
big
green alien.” He spoke softly, those incredible eyes boring into hers to catch her reaction. Oddly, she was more intrigued than frightened.

            “Go on,” she urged.

            He gave a little shrug. “What would you like to know?”

            “Everything.”

            Liam snorted. “That could take a while.”

            “Are we under some sort of time restriction here?”

            He glanced up and over the seat back in front of them. Cherron turned to see people returning to resume their places on the bus. She and Liam may not have been under a time restriction, but their conversation would need to carefully guarded.

            “Can you at least tell me what your real name is?” she whispered as people took their seats.

            “Yarrolam Porthus Vost.”

            “Did any of your family make it here with you?”

            “No. My family was…killed. Years ago.” The sorrow in his voice lay like a heavy weight on her heart. Then, surprisingly, he added, “I wish they could have met you.”

            “Me? Why?”

            He didn’t answer her. Instead, he smiled sadly. Closing his eyes, he leaned back in his seat.

“Can I ask you something else?” she tried, but he appeared to have dropped off.

At first, she considered snuggling against him again and going back to sleep, but she didn’t feel sleepy anymore. She also got the impression he had stayed awake the entire time she’d slept, to make sure she remained safe. It was time she repaid him. Wriggling her hips to get comfortable, she settled in to keep watch out the window when she heard him answer.

            “Because I’ve grown very fond of you, Cherron,” he murmured, so softly she barely heard him. “I know they would have felt the same.”

            She couldn’t help the huge smile spreading across her face. Or the tears rising in her eyes. His simple words struck a chord in her heart, and she was unable to explain why his remark filled her with a kind of happiness she wasn’t accustomed to feeling.
Aren’t aliens supposed to frighten you?
she mused
. Aren’t they supposed to be dangerous? Abducting innocent humans for horrendous experiments and such?
Compared to those bastards who attacked us, it makes you wonder, who’s the real monster?

            “What’s your other question?” he asked, breaking through her reverie.

            “Oh. Um, it’s about your…disguise.” She leaned closer to him and whispered the last word.

            “What about it?”

            “When you’re Liam, I mean when you have dark hair, do you resemble someone else? Or did you make up those features?”

            He peeled open one eye. “I took different features from different people I’d seen. Think of it like a puzzle. This one, though, is a guy I saw down on Bourbon Street one night.”

            “Can you make yourself look like anyone?” She waved a hand under her chin. “Can you turn yourself into me?”

            “I could. Of course, my body parts wouldn’t function as a female. But, yes, I could take on your appearance. Why?”

            “Just curious.”

            A minute or two passed, when he spoke again. “I can only change after sunset. Your strong sun locks me into whatever form I’m in once it’s daylight.”

            “So, if you’re in your real self when the sun rises, you have to stay that way until dark?”

            “Yes. Once we reach Mobile, I’ll change again before we get a motel room, in case the police and your abductors are looking for a red-headed man. I’ll then have to take that new form with us to Atlanta. One more thing, Cherron. There’s a very real possibility I could shift into my true self after I fall asleep. I cannot permanently keep this or any other form for more than twenty-four hours. Once I’m unconscious, my body will, at some point, revert. If you sense me starting to shift, or if you notice anything different about me, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you at the moment, wake me immediately. Do you understand?”

            “I will. So when we arrive in Mobile, you’ll change again? And I’ll get a new you with every stop?” she teased.

            “Yes. Will that bother you?” He grinned to show he knew she was being playful, even though her question was serious.

            “Not as long as I end up with my Liam.”

            As soon as she’d said the words, she realized what she’d said. But the best part was, she knew she’d meant it.

           
My Liam.

           
Aaron Shulcrist no longer mattered. A small part of her still wanted to give him the benefit of a doubt that he hadn’t meant for her and Liam to get involved in his mess. But every time she brought forth that argument, another dissenting voice inside her asked why he hadn’t tried to contact her.

           
Because Liam destroyed my phone.

            But Liam’s tried to call him with the new phone, without success. Even the police said they couldn’t reach him.

            Where did you go, Aaron? What the hell are you involved in? If you knew you were in danger, why didn’t you contact me before I left and tell me not to get on the plane? Or at least leave a text or voice message telling me to turn around the moment I got to the airport and go back to New York?

           
The more she dwelled on it, the angrier she became. What was happening to them wasn’t right, and it was entirely Aaron’s fault. Why was she and Liam having to pay for his mistakes?

            A hand covered hers where she’d clasped them in her lap. “Save your anger for when you need it to strengthen you,” Liam whispered.

            “How did you know I was angry?”

            “Because I smelled it coming from you.”

            “You smelled it? What are you talking about?”

            “Your anger has a scent. So does your fear and your worry.” He patted her hands. “Don’t dwell on Aaron. First we must find sanctuary. Then we can search for answers.”

            He retracted his hand, but Cherron kept hers on his arm where it rested between them. The contact felt good, reassuring.

            “What does anger smell like?” she whispered.

            His nose wrinkled slightly. “Like something burnt. Acidic.”

            “How about happiness?”

            “Lemonade.”

            “Huh. Lemonade. I like lemonade. Did you know you have a special smell to me?”

            A smile quirked up the corners of his mouth. “Yes. You told me. Cinnamon. Cherron, you also have a special smell.”

            “You mean I smell like something other than burned stuff and acid?”

            “That’s when you’re angry. When you’re worried, it’s metallic. But when you’re calm, when you’re you, you smell like lilacs.”

            Lilacs.

            The goofy smile returned to her face.

            Lilacs. Coincidence?

            “Did you know lilacs are my favorite flower?” she asked, but this time when he didn’t answer, it was because she knew he’d finally fallen asleep.

Chapter 15

Mobile

            Cherron could see Mobile’s skyline like a faint cloudbank of stars glimmering on the horizon. She had no idea what time it was. She’d lost her watch in her purse, and the cell phone was in Liam’s right pants pocket.

            She glanced over at his lap and briefly debated whether or not she should reach across the seat and attempt to extract the phone. More than likely, it would awaken him. Same as if she tried to inquire from someone seated around them. That is, if anyone was still awake. From the sounds floating over to her, most everyone was sleeping.

She smiled at the serene look on Liam’s face. Surprisingly, the man didn’t snore. Maybe it was because of the fact he was sitting up, or because of what he was. Come to think of it, she didn’t recall if he’d snored last night when they were at the motel in Gulfport. But considering how exhausted she was, she could have slept through a seven point earthquake and an F5 tornado.

She studied his features. He was cute as a redhead. But, as he’d explained, this costume was already taken. It didn’t matter. She preferred him as the scruffy brunette. He looked more unassuming and normal, but he probably chose that appearance in order to blend in with humanity. If he looked more like a movie star, it could draw unwanted attention to him. And by doing so, it could bring disastrous results.

Hmm. Movie star. When we’re alone, would you be willing to take on Brad Pitt’s face, just for a couple of hours?

It was a nice dream. In fact, what if…

Her face flamed. Her thoughts had zoomed off into a direction which left her uncomfortable and excited.

She’d wondered how it would be if he made love to her. At first, she toyed with the idea of having him shift to appear like one of her favorite actors. But, truthfully, she knew she wanted him as himself. As his Liam self. Before she saw his true self. She liked to watch her partner while they screwed, but she wasn’t ready to see a big green alien staring down at her. Liam, yes. Her Liam. Her dark-haired, plain-faced Liam.

Plain of face, but I bet the body is to die for.

She smiled to herself and turned back to the window. He’d even placed himself in the aisle seat to further protect her, in the event someone boarded the bus to come after her.

The bus exited the highway. They would soon arrive at the terminal. Cherron shifted in her seat to awaken him when she paused. Lowering her face closer to his, she stared at him.

His face was angled toward her, his chin almost resting on his chest. He didn’t look any different, but something had changed. Something about him had…

            Changed.

            The bus entered a main street, passing street lamps. The bright arc lights flashed through the bus like a slow strobe. Cherron peered closer. Liam’s features didn’t appear…