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Authors: CM Doporto

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The doors immediately slid shut after I
crossed the threshold, providing no other option, no escape. A long table, with
white lilies and shiny silver vases perfectly aligned atop a dark, heavy wood
table, decorated the entrance. The icy chill in the air gave the room a
mortuary feel, as opposed to a home where someone lived.

My feet seemed rooted to the floor. I
had to force each step, telling myself to put one foot in front of the other.
My legs wobbled and the terror raging through my body made me want to hurl. I
marched, as a lamb to the slaughter.

The curve of the hallway brought me to a
loft apartment with a living area, full kitchen, and dining area. Beyond,
another double-door entry, set wide open, led to a bedroom. A huge bed filled
the center of his room.

My heart stopped.

“Miranda, it’s good to see you.” Dimas
rolled my name off his tongue with an unrecognizable foreign accent, and I came
alert in an instant. It was as though he had appeared out of nowhere. He walked
to me, extending his arm.

I hesitated, and then grabbed his hand
and shook it hard, remembering what my dad taught me. Keep your friends close
but your enemies closer. But I didn’t want my enemy close to me. More than
anything, I wanted to punch his perfect face and run out of his quarters, but I
had to be smart. There was a time and a place for rebellion, and now wasn’t it.
Dimas was twice my size and built like a first-round draft pick.

“Please, have a seat.” He pointed to a
white leather couch. It immediately caught my eye, since the color scheme at
Nidus consisted of black, gray, or silver. Even his dining room chairs were
covered in white leather. I stopped there, because the last thing I wanted to
know was the color of his sheets.

“Sure.” I kept my answers short and
sweet. I walked around the couch and perched on the edge, ready to spring into
action should he make a move on me. I wouldn’t let him touch me. I’d protect
myself, even if I died fighting to the end.

“May I get you something to drink?” he
asked.

“Water would be good.” My mouth was so
dry I feared my tongue might be permanently stuck to the roof of my mouth.

I accepted the glass of water he
offered, careful to keep my fingers from touching his. “Thank you,” I said,
eager to quench my thirst.

My heart raced and my hands were sweaty
and clammy. So many questions fogged my brain.

Why was I there?

What did he want?

How could I stop him?

“I see you are wearing the clothes I
sent you.” He sat opposite me and smiled, revealing perfectly straight, white
teeth.

“Yes, thank you. It’s nice to be out of
the scrubs.” For whatever reason, I grinned when our eyes met. I’d never paid
much attention to Dimas’ features, but the more I stared at him, I noticed how
young he looked. If not for the slight five o’clock shadow, I’d have to say he
wasn’t older than twenty. I wasn’t sure, though, because all the Eslites had
flawless skin.

“You are quite beautiful.” He arched a
brow and sipped his water.

“Thanks.” No matter how hard I tried, I
couldn’t tear my gaze from his. It was as though he had me in a trance. I
noticed everything about him. From his debonair smile, to his square jaw, and
his perfectly sculpted body that belonged in a Calvin Klein underwear ad. The
guy was hot. What the heck was wrong with me?

That freakin’ alien might rape me.

I had to be losing it. He was pure evil.
Wasn’t he?

I dug my fingernails into my palm, and
the pain broke our connection.

“Consider them an early birthday gift.”

What? How did he know my birthdate? Oh,
wait, they’d poked and prodded every hole in my body, of course he would know
my birthday. But why would he observe an earthly custom? For half a minute I
didn’t say anything, just kept staring at the shaggy, black rug beneath my
feet. Hoping and praying he would let me leave as soon as possible, virginity
intact.

I managed to squeak out another, “Thank
you.”

“I also have another gift for you. I
thought it would be better if I told you in person.”

I immediately glanced at him but didn’t
meet his gaze, directly.

Please don’t rape me.

Please don’t rape me.

“What’s that?” I asked, feigning
courage, even though my entire body shivered. I tapped my feet repeatedly, and
I leaned forward, ready to make a run for it. Every muscle in my gut clenched,
my thighs tensed, and I pressed my knees shut.

“I thought—”

“No matter what you do to me, I’m not
going to copulate with you,” I blurted. “At least, not willingly.”

For several seconds, Dimas said nothing.
Then, he did something I hadn’t expected. He laughed. “Well, that’s fine,
because I didn’t invite you here to have sex with me.”

“Oh.” I felt the color drain from my
face as I almost died of embarrassment.

“I’m allowing you to go home for a few
weeks, unless you would rather stay here and have sex with me.” His playful
tone was disarming and unnerving, at once.

“What?”  Excited and relieved, I did the
unthinkable. I started to consider his offer. 

With a chuckle, he glanced at the glass
in his hand. Slowly, in small movements, he swirled the water, the way my dad
did a fine wine, and for some strange reason I focused on it. The urge to flee
subsided, and I relaxed, as the tension in my shoulders seemed to evaporate.
Gradually, my heart rate slowed, my ears no longer rang, and my mouth was no
longer dry. I imagined brushing my fingers through his soft, sandy blond hair.
Allowing the warmth of his breath to tickle the curve of my neck as he pressed
his full lips to my skin. Feel his strong arms wrapped around me as my body
melted into his. When Dimas set the glass on a nearby table, I snapped to
attention.

What the heck just happened?

How did I let my mind go there? I
couldn’t possibly have the hot’s for the guy. Yet, I was crushing on him, I
knew it, and I hated myself for it.

“You are scheduled to depart Nidas on
Sunday afternoon.” He smiled, and my stomach flip-flopped. “I’m sure your
family will be happy to see you. Besides, I think you need a little break.”

Through some invisible haze his words
came to me, and I blinked a few times to make sure I was still in his living
room. Then my mind processed what he had said, and though I should have
panicked, I remained eerily calm. Was the warden really offering me a prison
break?

Crap. Did he know about my plans for
escape?

Was it some sort of trap? Were there
conditions tied to his surprise?

“That’s—um, great. Thanks. When can I
leave?” I tried my best to act cool. I started to stand, but he stayed me with
an upraised hand, so I sat on the couch, clutching the edge.

“You will return to your quarters in a
few minutes, but I want to set a few ground rules,” he said, as he rose from
his chair.

Although I tried not to study him, I
couldn’t stop admiring the ripples of muscles beneath his tight fitting shirt,
not to mention the spandex-type pants that outlined every curve from the waist
down. And I mean every curve. When he paused before an unlit fireplace, I
glanced at my glass of water and noticed silver speckles floating on the
surface.

Had he given me something?

Had I been drugged?

Because no matter how hard I tried, I
couldn’t fight an uncontrollable desire to watch him. The lights dimmed and the
fire ignited behind him, bathing the room in a fiery orange glow, but the air
remained bitterly cold. A frightening chill shivered over my arms and legs.

Was I hallucinating?

“Okay, sure.” I set the glass on the
coffee table and rested my arms on my knees. Clasping my hands, I prayed for
strength.

“First of all, I want you to know that
we will be watching you closely, monitoring your every move. You are not to
travel farther than sixty miles from your home, and your curfew is
twenty-three-hundred hours every night, without exception.”

“What?” I slapped my thighs. “You can’t
do that. I’m not a criminal.”

“I guess going home is not that
important to you?”  He arched a brow. “I thought you would prefer to spend your
birthday with your family, but I see you would rather spend it here, at Nidus.”

“No!” Trembling, I checked my attitude
and bit my tongue. “I really want to go home, but I don’t understand your
stupid rules. What’s with the spying?”

For a few minutes, Dimas simply stared
at me.  I shifted on the couch and pretended to smooth a wrinkle on my shirt. 
At last, he smiled, and again I fought the urge to go to him.

“We need to make sure you don’t
experience any delayed complications from the last egg extraction.” Damn, he
sounded genuinely concerned for my safety. “The surveillance is to ensure your
health, nothing more.”

“I didn’t think about that.”  Deflated,
I sighed.  “Guess it’ll be okay.”

“You must return to Nidus in four weeks,
on Sunday, June 30th. If you run away, or try anything else, we will come for
you.”

I am so busted.

“Okay, no problem,” I said, calmly.
“Does anyone else get to go home?”

He cocked his head. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, let’s see, maybe it’s because
you’ve been keeping a bunch of us here for the past nine months, when we all
want to go home.” The Miranda I knew was simmering beneath the surface, and I
hoped I didn’t get myself in trouble. “You have our eggs. What more do you want
from us?” I stood, with hands on hips, as my knees weakened. Questioning the
warden probably wasn’t the brightest idea. I had to be digging my own grave.
What the hell was I doing? I wanted to go home to my family and Bryce.

“I don’t know.” Dimas crossed the room
and paused before me, our noses mere inches apart. “What do you have to offer?”
Despite the chill in the room, my body burned with a desire that I had never
felt before, not even with Bryce. 

 “My first born—” I clutched my fist to
my chest, “Oops. I forgot, you already took that. What else do you want?”

“Miranda, I like your spirit.” He
trailed a finger along my cheek, and I shuddered. “We may possess your eggs,
but that does not mean we are done with humans.”

For an awkward moment, we simply stared
into each other’s eyes. And I got the feeling he was sizing me up. What the
heck was I supposed to do? As much as I hated to admit it, I was enjoying every
minute of our spat. Maybe it was the perfect curve of his lips, or the
mysterious sparkle in his jungle green eyes. Whatever it was, he had ahold of
me and, in that moment, I didn’t want him to let me go.

His unexpected caress, soft and tender,
continued past my chin and down my neck, and goose bumps covered my flesh. In a
gentle movement, he tugged the chiffon ribbon at the top of my shirt, exposing
my chest. Startled by a wisp of cold air, I snapped.

What the hell?

“Don’t touch me.” I slapped his hand.

“As you wish.” He peered at me,
stretching to his full height. “But know this—I don’t have to touch you to get
what I want.”

“We’ll see about that.”

He took a step back, holding my gaze.
His eyes narrowed, and again my gut clenched. I tried to move, but I couldn’t
because something held me prisoner. I gasped for air, but the scream died in my
throat. A dark, powerful force held me captive, sucking my body of its
strength. What was he doing to me?

“Ah, Miranda.” He shook his head. “When
will you learn that you can’t win?”

“Never.”

“That’s what I admire about you.” His
sneering laugh mocked me. “Determined, hardheaded, and rebellious. So much like
myself.” He waved a dismissive hand in the air and the grip around my waist
loosened.

I sucked in a quick breath. “You and I
are
nothing
alike.”

What power did he have over me? How could
he touch me without
touching me?

“You’re wrong, and you are dismissed.”

His arrogance pissed me off. He knew
nothing
about me. I wanted to tell him that, but then I remembered where I stood.

In the end, I turned and ran.

θ

Chapter 3

 

The moment I returned to my room, I
collapsed on my bed. My head, not to mention my body, buzzed with dark,
dangerous thoughts that I knew I would later regret. I hated Dimas. I hated him
so much that I found myself thinking about our encounter over and over again.
Why?
That was not like me. It had to be the result of his freaky, possessive trance.
Otherwise, why did I feel that way? Part of me wanted to go home and another
part wanted to stay and see what happened the next time we met. But if I did,
that meant I would have to remain at Nidus. And that was the last thing I
wanted.

“Miranda?” Kate’s voice called out as
she peered from behind a partially open bathroom door.

“Hey,” I muttered, barely lifting my
head.

“Are you okay?”  She rushed to my
bedside.  “What happened?”

“Nothing.”  I leaned against an
overstuffed pillow. “Thank God.”

“Then what did he want?” Kate’s blue
eyes filled with confusion. “Did he overhear what we said?”

“I’m not sure.” I shrugged. “But based
on
our conversation
, I think he might have.”

“What did he say?”

I stalled, deciding whether or not I
should tell her I got a pass home. But keeping it from her was a bad idea
because eventually she’d find out. I considered telling her how he put some
kind of alien trance over me, but that would only freak her out, and I still
didn’t understand it, so I spared that major detail. “He said I could go home
for a few weeks. Which makes me think he’s on to us. Otherwise, why would he
let me leave?”

She sighed and relaxed. “Really, when?”

“Sunday evening.”

“Well, guess what?” A big smile formed
on her face. “I received a message right after you left, and I’m going home
too.”

“You are?” I considered the situation
and his possible motives. “That’s great.”

“Yeah, I’m leaving Sunday, too, and I’m
scheduled to return on Sunday, June 30th.”

“So am I.” It was great that Kate and I
were getting a break, but there had to be more to it. “What about everyone else?”

“I don’t know. I wanted to tell you
first, but I didn’t want you to be mad.” Her eyes lowered as she picked at her
bare nails.

“I wouldn’t be mad, Kate.” She gave me
one of her looks, which forced me to tell the truth. “Okay, maybe a little.
Only because I’m dying to see Bryce.”

“I know. And I feel bad for the others.”
Kate moved to the mirror in front of my wardrobe and started braiding her hair.
Since she worked at the Nidus salon, everyone knew her as the Queen of Hair.

She continued talking but my mind
drowned her words, as I obsessed about what had happened.  For some strange
reason, I felt guilty. Like I had cheated on Bryce. Even though we hadn’t seen
each other in nine months, I knew we were exclusive. Weren’t we? I mean, we had
never discussed it, but Bryce wouldn’t cheat on me.  But the more I thought
about Bryce, the more I found myself thinking about Dimas.

Bryce and Dimas were day and night.

Complete opposites, each unique in their
own way, Bryce was sweet and caring, whereas Dimas was controlling and devious.
When it came to their bodies, Bryce didn’t compare to Dimas. But Bryce was only
seventeen, and Dimas had to be like twenty or something. Dimas was way too old
for me. Then again, next week I’d be seventeen. That was only a three year
difference. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I thought about Dimas’
offer.

Unless you’d rather stay and have sex
with me.
   

“Hey, did you hear me?” Kate probed, interrupting
my fantasy.

“Um, no.” I flinched.  “Sorry, what did
you say?”

“What’s with you?”  She narrowed her
stare. “You’re acting different. In fact, your cheeks look a little red, and I
don’t think it’s from your blush, either. What
really
happened in Dimas’
room?”  

Busted, again.

“What?” I played it off. Because she’d
freak if she knew I was fraternizing with our biggest enemy. “Nothing.”

She gave me a pensive stare and then
said, “I asked if we should tell the other girls.”

“Well, if we don’t, I’m sure they’ll
find out.”

“True. Hopefully, we’re not the only
ones.”

“I agree. I mean it would be great if
everyone got a pass.” I considered possible motives for the strange
development. Dimas had to know something about the chat we had in Gaby’s room.

Crap.

That damn eye must have been recording
us, or someone’s digital assistant must have been in active mode. That’s why he
was sending us away. Before I could think of anything else, my door buzzed. I rolled
out of bed.

“Hey, it’s me,” Gaby said.  “Open up.”

She waited outside, looking in both
directions. I guess after last night, she didn’t want to be seen coming into my
room. “Yeah, come on in.”

She walked in with her arms crossed and
her hands tucked against her body. “So, what happened? I heard Dimas called a
meeting with you this morning.”

“Not much, thank God.” I cast a side
glance at Kate. She always had trouble keeping things to herself.

“Sorry, I was worried about you and what
might happen.”

I shrugged it off. No sense getting mad.
I hesitated to tell Gaby the latest news, but it wouldn’t stay secret for long.
Besides, I had to know if she had gotten a pass, too.

“Did he say anything about last night?”
Gaby sat on the edge of my bed, watching Kate whip strands of hair around her
fingers, forming an intricate braid that swept to the side of her face.

“No. But I think he knows something,
because he’s sending Kate and me home for four weeks.”

“Really?” Gaby sat up straight. “Why you?”
Her voice squeaked, and disappointment weighed heavy in her expression.

“I’m sorry.” My heart ached for her. “I
asked if he would let us all leave, but apparently he didn’t agree.”

“That’s okay.” Tears welled in her brown
eyes, and she quickly blinked them away.  “Anyone else getting to go?”

“I have no idea. Kate and I were
wondering the same thing.” I felt horrible that Gaby had to stay behind. It
wasn’t fair, and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to help her. I
wanted to help all of us escape Nidus.

“When were you informed, Kate?” Gaby
asked.

Kate paused and looked at us through the
mirror. “I found out about ten minutes after Miranda left.”

A smiled played on Gaby’s lips. “Maybe
they haven’t contacted me yet.” She checked her digital tablet but by the expression
on her face, I knew the answer.

“I hope they let you go, too, because
it’s not fair to you, Aliah, Jessica, Destiny, or the rest of the girls that
have been here for months.” I stopped at that, being extra cautious about the
eye and tablets around us.  

“No, it’s not.” Gaby sighed heavily and
her shoulders slumped. “And I’ll probably never see you two again.”

I arched a brow. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, Miranda. You both say it’s
only for a few weeks, but for all I know, they’re dismissing you for good.”

“Gaby, we’re not lying.” I eased beside
her on my bed. “We have been given a return date of June 30th. So, I promise
you, we are coming back. In fact, Dimas warned me if I tried to run away he
would come and get me.”

“Like that will stop you.”  She
humphed.  “I bet you’ll try it again.”

“Uh, yeah, I don’t think so.” I had
tried to escape Nidus a month after we arrived. While running around the track
during gym class, I bolted and got jolted by an invisible fence that knocked me
out. I woke up in the Med Center, and that’s how Gaby and I got to know each other.
She cared for me, and we’d stuck together ever since.

“She’s right.” Kate turned around. “We’re
telling the truth, Gaby.  I’ll show you the communication.” She went to her
room and came back with her digital tablet.

It didn’t take long for Gaby’s tears to
reappear. Kate held her tablet, showing Gaby the message. Gaby shook her head,
refusing to read it. She picked up a pillow and squeezed it tightly against her
body.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” Her voice
trailed off as she buried her face in the pillow. Half a minute later she
lifted her head. “I’m scared. I don’t want to die.”

I slid my arm around her, trying to ease
her pain. “Gaby, you’re not going to die.”

“Oh, Miranda.”  Gaby sobbed.  “You have
no idea.”

What was going on? “What do you know,
Gaby?” I implored. “It’s okay, you can tell me.” 

She glanced at the ceiling and the
all-seeing blue dot. “I can’t.”

I knew she wanted to tell us something
but feared being recorded. We had no privacy, nowhere to talk, and nowhere to
run from the ever-watching Eslites.

Then I remembered the bathroom. I knew
for a fact it was technology free. I had reviewed the data and verified that
all three thousand rooms were bug-less. And I wasn’t talking about creepy
critters. Unless they used something else, we were safe. I reached for my
journal and scribbled the word:
bathroom
, across the page and showed it
Gaby and Kate. Then I tore out the page from my journal, folded it, and stuffed
it into the pocket of my jeans.

“Shiloh, music please. Favorites
playlist,” I ordered my digital tablet and left it on the counter near my
wardrobe. With the first notes of “Uprising” by Muse, I shook my head. How
appropriate. I double-checked the volume to make sure it would cover our
voices.

They glanced at me in slight confusion
but followed me to the bathroom. I pressed the close button for the door and
then turned on the shower and the faucets to full blast.

“What the heck are you doing?” Kate asked,
as I flipped on the exhaust fan.

“Drowning out our conversation. It’s the
safest way for us to talk without those damn tablets overhearing us.”

“Oh, great idea,” Kate replied while
Gaby nodded.

Gaby sat on the toilet seat cover, while
Kate perched on the edge of the tub. I eased to the counter and reclined
against the mirror.

“I’m sorry. This has been eating me up
for the last few weeks.” Gaby wiped her tears and blew her nose before she
continued. “I promised Dr. Ridus I wouldn’t say anything, but the truth is, I
can’t keep this to myself any longer.”

Kate and I leaned in closer.

“The egg extractions and monthly
injections might cause sterility.”

“Speak English,” Kate pleaded.

“We may not be able to have children.”

“What?” I bit my lower lip. “Are you
talking about the hormone injections?”

“No, I’m talking about the other
injection they give us.”

“What other injections?”  I searched my
memory and recalled the Eslite order.  “I thought they’re only giving us
hormones and prenatal vitamins.”

“Of course, that’s what they told you.”
Gaby fidgeted. “I know for a fact that they are doing something else to us.”

“Like what?” Kate asked.

“Genetic modification. They’re trying to
make our offspring like them.”

“What?” I nearly choked on my spit.

“Is that even possible?” Disbelief echoed
in Kate’s voice.

“According to Dr. Ridus, the goal is to
produce an offspring that will be nearly one-hundred percent Eslite,” Gaby
explained. “To do this, they are targeting our reproductive cells, or our eggs,
and injecting them with their genetics.”

We simply stared at Gaby, completely
taken aback by the information. What the hell? I felt totally betrayed by
Dimas.
Ugh.
I couldn’t wait to give him a piece of my mind. I hated him
more than ever. How could he change my DNA? Didn’t he like me the way God made
me? He didn’t want me as I was; he wanted what he could make me—an Eslite
female.

“So, they’re shooting us up with their
genes? Won’t that make us one of them? I mean, besides our offspring?” I understood
his warning.

Just because we possess your eggs
doesn’t mean we are done with humans.

“I’m not sure about that part. But what
they are doing to us is very risky, and there could be complications. What do
you think happened to Destiny’s cousin and those two other girls? And right now
another girl is in the Med Center with a swollen ovary and enlarged uterus. Dr.
Ridus said she may not survive.”

“No.” Kate covered her face with her
hands. “This can’t be happening.”

Gaby stared at the floor. Her reaction
made me wonder if she’d done something against her will. “They may have to do a
complete hysterectomy if they can’t stop the swelling.” She paused and inhaled
deeply. “Dr. Ridus said he would do whatever it takes to save her. He also said
their approach is untested, unproven, and has many side effects.”

“Oh, my God.” Kate gasped in horror. “So
that’s what killed those girls.”

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