Starseed (3 page)

Elle let out a deep breath
. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen him before, but when she tried to explore the idea further it was as if she’d hit a brick wall.

“
Kole, you have a lot of equipment in here,” Sarah said from her perch in the back seat. “What do you do?” 

“
I'm a photojournalist.”  He peeked in the rearview mirror. “Do you have enough room back there?”

“
Yeah, it's fine,” Sara replied.

Elle glanced at him sideways, admiring his dark waist-length hair pulled back with a rawhide tie
.
Wow, that’s long healthy hair. I’d like to get my scissors into that hair
. His glacier blue eyes flickered to Sara in the rearview mirror from time to time. Elle tried to read his aura, only able to see a swirl of color. Greens, reds, blue, gold and lavender danced around in her head. He was different from anyone she'd ever met, yet she was immediately drawn to him.

“
I work for
New Frontier Magazine.
My editors are interested in this area.”  He hesitated then glanced in the rear view mirror at Sara. “Would you know of any special places around here that I could include photos of for the magazine?”  

Elle quietly listened to Kole and Sara’s exchange while a familiar, yet, unwanted sensation crept over her
. Her heart lurched.
Not now. All I
want to do is go home
. She could put it off, but if she did, it would only be worse. She grabbed the armrest and tried to fight off the feelings assaulting her, all the while knowing it was best just to let them come. A weird night was about to get weirder. She’d learned she couldn’t fight this. What was to be would be. Taking a deep breath, she leaned her head back against the headrest, closed her eyes and let the vision overtake her.

An image of Kole and herself standing in the marble entryway of an enormous white palace
flashed behind her closed eyelids. He was dressed in some kind of military uniform and she in a beautiful, flowing, golden gown. She could smell the ocean as a warm salty breeze blew gently against her skin. Three yellow moons lit the starry sky and two tall wooden doors with ancient carvings stood before them. A sense of comfort and unconditional love filled her heart, making her want to go through the doors to meet the unexpected. Something on the other side called to her. Destiny awaited her beyond those huge doors.

Then, as quickly as the feelings surrounded her with loving warmth, it vanished
. She had seen three moons. It wasn’t Earth. Was this a glimpse of her future? Or had they been together in a past life or in another dimension? Was that why she had this overwhelming attraction toward him? Or was she just going crazy?

Damn
.
She hated when the universe only gave her a tidbit of a vision. However, the good feeling stayed with her. In the distance, she heard Sara chatting away with Kole like she had known him forever.

“
There's the High Mountain Array. With all those huge white disks spread across the valley floor it's quite a sight to see,” Sara said. “Other than that, there's not much around here.” 

Elle came slowly back to the moment
. Sara sounded less stressed. Kole had a calming effect on both of them.

“
Oh, yes, the High Mountain Array,” he said. “The magazine wants me to go there.”  Kole glanced toward Elle. “I have to get a shot of those disks for sure. What can you tell me about it?” 

Elle's dormant wits had recharged themselves with a surge of renewed energy
. She leaned forward in the seat and pushed the vision to the recesses of her mind, then said, “Let’s see how well I remember the report I did on it back in high school. The Array covers the whole valley with twenty-seven dish-shaped antennas. Each one weighs two-hundred-thirty tons and each one is as big as a baseball diamond.” She laughed. “How’d I do?” 

“
I’d say textbook fantastic. Wow, that’s a huge Array. I was told that astronomers come there from all over the world to study cosmic objects,” Kole said.

“
Yes, that’s true. They look at the sun, our solar system’s planets and galaxies at the edge of the universe,” Elle added.

* * *

Kole laughed inwardly and bit back a grin.
If you only knew. Other
worldly beings have been to the High Mountain Array as well.
He glanced in Elle’s direction. “That will be at the top of my list. I bet I could get some great shots of all those antennas at sunrise and sunset.” 

He watched her closely
. She didn’t have a clue as to who he was or why he had been sent to find her. Hard to believe this was the 13-year-old girl he’d met so long ago. She’d made such an impact on him when he was just a boy. And today he noticed the changes in her. She was all woman with curves in the right places. Sure, she’d been raised as an earthling, therefore her power probably wasn’t nearly as evolved. Still, there was a chance she might remember him. He watched her closely. If she did, she certainly didn’t give it away.

Elle smiled and warmed to the subject
. “They would make great pictures. You'd like Red Rock Canyon, too.”

Passing under the streetlights, he noted the excitement in her voice, the gleam in her deep green eyes and the tiny dimple that appeared in her cheek when she smiled
. A lock of hair fell across her face, brilliant, glistening, shiny as new-spun gold. He had the strangest urge to reach out and push it behind her ear. Passion leaked like an earthly fragrance from every pore of her body.
Which he wouldn’t mind exploring, head to toe.

Kole stiffened
. He had to watch himself. Physical contact was no longer needed on his planet and forbidden with Starseeds. On his world, their brains had evolved to the point that it provided all the stimulation they needed. He’d never entertained the need for a physical relationship. Yet there it was, along with all the other things he was feeling and thinking since first setting eyes on her many years ago, and earlier this evening from the starship. He pulled his wayward thoughts together. What had she said? Oh, yes, Red Rock Canyon. “Is that the place with all the caves?”  Kole hesitated for a heartbeat. He didn’t dare let her suspect his interest in the caverns. “Do you know where they are?” 

“
Oh, yeah, out near the Array,” she said. “But most are fenced off by the government.”

Which fortunately can’t stop me
.
“Here we are.”  Kole changed the subject as they entered the city limits. He read the sign. “Sweetwater, Colorado, elevation 10,587 feet, population 7,342 souls.” 
And a few other beings not of this world
.

He pulled into the service station
. “Is this where you ladies need to go?” he asked after he glanced around the three-stop-light town. “It’s the only station I see.” 

“
Yes, Sweetwater is small, but I can't imagine living anywhere else. I’ve known my neighbors all my life,” Elle said. “Bruce has been on this corner for years.”  She climbed out of the Jeep and waited for Sara in the cool evening breeze. “Thanks for everything.”

“
You're welcome. I’ll see you around town.”  He leaned against the steering wheel, staring intently at Elle. Getting to know her wouldn’t be a chore, but with her being the Chosen One he’d have to tread lightly. He smiled, enjoying his newfound earthly emotions. A small throb of excitement raced up his spine when Elle returned his smile. He was here, actually experiencing a new world, not from the outside looking in, as his people had done since the beginning of time. But from the inside, from an actual functioning position within the world he studied. He’d be fine as long as she didn’t learn the truth about him. Yeah, she didn’t have a clue.

Chapter Two

Elle handed Kole her business card through the open window
. “If you would like us to show you Red Rock Canyon and the High Mountain Array, give me a call. Sara and I'd be happy to go with you.”  She needed to be around him in order to discover what that vision meant. Why was he gazing at her in that strange way? It was mesmerizing. Mentally, she crossed her fingers willing him to accept the invitation.

“
Let’s do it,” Kole said. “How about we go Sunday afternoon? I have to pick up some more equipment in Colorado Springs, but I'll be back in a few days.”  

“
Sara and I would love to.”  Elle glanced at her friend and raised her eyebrows, hoping Sara would agree to this excursion. She wanted to learn more about Kole, but being alone with him was something else. She didn’t quite trust herself. Usually she was very intuitive about new people, but there was something unexplainable about him.

“
That works for me,” Sara said, apparently unaware of the undercurrents flowing around her.

“
We'll meet you at Dotty's Diner, say around one.”  Elle tried to tell herself this was part of her plan to figure out where she had known him. Even worse she wanted to get to know him. This strange sensation had come over her making her want to arrange to see him again. All the while she knew it was too soon for these kinds of feelings. Unwilling to meet his probing gaze, she glanced at the service station and saw it was open. Bruce was working late. She could have him tow her car into town tonight. She’d known him since she was a child and knew he would do it for her, a perk of living in a small town.

“
Where's Dotty’s Diner?” Kole asked.

“
Down on Main Street. You can't miss it. It's the best restaurant in town.”  Elle recited their motto. “Your coffee cup is never empty and they know your name, your kid's name, and your boss's name.”  She grinned. “You get the picture. They actually talk to you.”

Kole shrugged as if he didn’t quite understand what she was talking about
. “Okay, I’ll see you there.”  He waved and drove away.

“
Why did you make plans for us with a stranger?” Sara asked with a frown.

A twinge of guilt ran through Elle for manipulating Sara, but she had to find out why she felt the way she did about Kole
. “You're going to have to trust me on this. I was meant to meet him.”

“
That's all you had to say,” Sara said with a chuckle. “He’s hot with those deep blue eyes and dark wavy hair.”  She fanned herself and snickered. “You and Kole would look good together. You're both tall and thin and have that nice exotic tanned skin.”  She grinned. “You'd have cute babies.” 

Elle laughed, pretending she was amused, but in reality her emotions whirled and skidded
.
Feeling this overwhelming attraction to him is one thing, but babies . . . well, I’m not about to go there.

* * *

The next morning at work, Elle got her things together at her antique oak styling station and listened to the beauty salon buzz with speculation. The conversation about the sightings last night made her uncomfortable, but she had to be here for her regular customers. She sighed and placed her sanitized combs and brushes back in the drawer and tried to focus on Rose, the customer sitting in her chair. There was no more kidding herself.
It’s true. The aliens are back and they’re after me.

“
Anybody happen to see those strange lights in the sky last night?”  Liz, a customer asked nobody in particular.

“
Who cares?”  Gloria, the receptionist said. Anyone see the newest Hugh Jackman flick?”  Elle appreciated Gloria’s attempt to take the heat off of her, but it was no use. Already the customers in the reception area watched Elle, as if they were waiting for her to say something. Once again, the townsfolk were chewing on her past. She didn't have to be a psychic to know what they were thinking.

The stares pressed against Elle's heart as if someone were laying blocks of wet cement
against her ribcage until she couldn't breathe. She couldn't stand it another minute. “All right, I saw them.”  She stopped removing rollers from Rose's snow-white hair and turned to speak to everyone in the salon. “I don't know what they are.”  The beauty shop became as silent as a morgue.
They want me, but I’m not going!
Elle frowned. “Honestly, I don't know any more about those lights than you do.”

She turned her attention back to Rose. The noise of the salon started up again. “Of course, everyone in town thinks I know about these things.”  Feeling overwhelmed by the other customers accusing eyes, she brushed through Rose's beautiful thick hair.

Rose touched Elle’s arm, giving her much-needed support
. “It's all right, dear. Don't fret about the simpletons in Sweetwater. There will always be someone wagging their tongue about something.”  Rose spoke with the conviction of her sixty-plus years of wisdom. “Some people thrive on gossip.”

“
You're right. And I know that.”  Elle bit her sore lip and grimaced. “Yet, I let it bother me.”

“
That's natural.”  Rose studied her. “What's new with you?

Are there any new men
in your life?” 

Elle laughed and began styling Rose’s hair
.
Was Rose the psychic now?
“I joined a book club. The only new man in my life is between the pages of a good novel.”  Her emotions were too jumbled to talk about Kole. In her mind’s eye it surprised her to realize how much she’d noticed about him. His strong, tanned hands with clean, oval nails and the intensity of his gaze made her heart flutter. The fullness of his luscious mouth did things to her, but unlike everyone else, why couldn’t she read him?

“
Good for you,” Rose said. “At least you’re getting out. But a pretty, young person like you needs to date more.”  Rose glanced at Elle and sighed. “I’m sure that living in this little town doesn’t help.”

“
Now, Rose, that's not true. You and Dad go out all the time. This town is okay. Anyway, I’m not looking for a man.”  Elle smiled at her customer in the mirror. Rose was perfect for her single father.

But sadly enough, Elle wished for a more fulfilling life
. Secretly, she longed for love and adventure and eventually a family of her own.

Rose sat with her thin fingers clasped together in her lap and a mischievous smile curving her lips
. “Your dad and I do have a good time together.”  Her eyes twinkled with merriment.

Elle teased Rose's hair into a becoming style, all the while trying to push Kole out of her head
. What was wrong with her? She was smoldering for the man who’d helped her last night. He had somehow made a psychic impression on her and kept popping into her mind. Why were these feelings happening so fast and so furiously? It didn’t make sense. The more she thought about her reactions to him, the more confused she became. Yet, this mysterious fellow took her breath away. Had the odd aura he gave off had something to do with her attraction? It was as if he could block her attempts to read him. Her curiosity was good and piqued.

Rose smiled when she saw her reflection in the mirror
. “You've done it again.”  She gently touched her hand to the soft white cloud surrounding her face. “I love the way you put me back together.”

“
It's easy when you have great hair. Besides, I've been doing it for years.”  Elle laughed and removed the comb-out cape from Rose’s shoulders before helping her out of the styling chair. “You have a great week.” 

“
Thanks,” Rose said with a sparkle in her pretty brown eyes. She walked toward the reception desk then turned to Elle. “Promise me you'll come to dinner real soon.”

“
Well, sure, that's awfully sweet of you.”  She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Dinner sounds good, but I'm real busy these days.”

“
Well, you have to eat.”  Rose patted Elle on the arm. “I'm not trying to give you a hard time, honey. If not before, I’ll see you at my regular appointment.”

“
Have a good one.”  Elle watched her leave the salon. Rose was a real sweetheart and her dad was lucky to have her in his life.

Jodie’s customer Liz the town gossip, pushed up the dryer lid and peered around the shop until she spotted Elle
. “So, what do you think of folks seeing those lights again?”  She continued to glare at Elle. “What do you suppose it means?”  She stuck her nose in the air waiting impatiently for Elle to answer.

“
I have no idea,” Elle said and continued getting ready for her next customer. Her gut feeling said the return of the lights had something to do with her, but she wasn’t about to tell anyone that—especially not Liz. Besides, it wasn’t any of Liz’s business. She hated when Liz came to the salon to grill her about town happenings. It didn’t escape her notice that Liz was reading the tabloids. Elle held back a chuckle.

“
Hasn't your dad told you anything?”  Liz glanced at her.

Elle took note of the haughty look on her old wrinkled prune face
. “No, he hasn't mentioned it.”   

“
He's the Sheriff. He gets inside information on things like this, doesn't he?”  Liz tapped her newly manicured red fingernails against the mauve armrest, putting Elle’s nerves more on edge.

“
Sure, sometimes he hears things, but I haven't talked to him today. I don't put much stock in lights in the sky.”  Liz was the last person she'd tell about her and Sara’s adventure last night. “It's probably the military doing some kind of exercise.”

“
That's what they always say. I think it's the UFOs. Remember when the cows were mutilated not far from here last fall? It's that time of year again.”

Elle remembered it all too well
. Almost everyone in town had avoided her as if she were contaminated after the incident. At the age of three, she’d been found by Crazy Herman, the town plumber and resident kook. He had discovered her sleeping on a large flat rock in Red Rock Canyon in the middle of a scorched circle of ground. She wore only pink footie pajamas and was covered with a soft purple blanket as she clutched a stuffed white kitty to her chest. Elle shook away the memory that had gotten bigger and more hurtful with every story.

“
If you’re so interested why don’t you ask my dad? Or maybe the aliens have developed a taste for our Colorado beef.”

“
You don’t have to be rude.”  Liz stuck her nose high in the air. “Maybe they’re coming back for you.”  She gave Elle a hateful look and in a huff shoved her head back under the dryer.

* * *

As Elle worked from one customer to the next, tremors reverberated through her body. Something was going to happen. Something bad. She didn't want to think about it. She was afraid to know, but the images didn’t care. She gripped the edge of the styling counter and braced herself for the vision to come.

The crystal-clear image materialized before her
. Six horses stood in a moonlit meadow with a small brown donkey. The beautiful sight almost stole her breath away. On this cool fall evening, she could almost reach out and touch them. A chestnut brown foal suckled against its mother’s side. Other horses grazed nearby.

Out of nowhere, a luminous light fell from the star-covered sky
. Feeling the panic of the animals, she shivered inwardly. A metallic scent of death hovered on the still night air. Slowly, the vision shifted. The donkey stood to the side, her eyes round with fear. All the horses were dead. The most wicked things happened by moonlight.

This was going to come to pass and soon
. Elle silently prayed to the universe.
Please, don’t let me be related to those monsters from the stars who can do this to defenseless animals
.

“
Elle, you have a phone call.”  Gloria the receptionist bounced over to her styling chair, bringing her a bottle of water. “It's Sara. Can you take it?”

Elle glanced toward the reception desk, coming back to the moment
. “Sure . . . ah. . .thanks for the water. Give me a minute to straighten my station and I'll be right there.” 

Her heart constricted for those poor innocent horses
. If only she could help. Elle took a deep swallow of the cool water and tried to shake off the horrible sight she had visualized. First order of business was to find those horses. Second, she had to find a way to save them.

Elle set down the water bottle, putting the vision out of her head
. Because of the talk all over town she had been expecting this call. She picked up the phone. “Hey, girl. What's up?” 

“
I know how all this alien stuff bothers you. You okay?”

Elle grimaced, holding the phone tighter
. “It's been an interesting morning. Everyone is watching me like I'm about to sprout wings. You'd think I'd be used to it.”

“
I doubt that's something you ever get used to,” Sara said. “Can you take the rest of the day off?”

“
No, why should I? I’ve nothing to hide.”  Elle glanced around the salon, making sure nobody could overhear their conversation. “Today, after work, I'm going back out there. It'll be daylight. Will you come with me?”