The Dawning of Fate

So, Zan and I had sex. I had sex with an alien! That happened. I’m okay right? Yes, of course, I am okay. Why wouldn’t I be okay? Maybe because I had sex with a freakin’ alien! Oh, I’m totally freaking out.

I’ve sort of been steering clear of Zan since this morning. I know I shouldn’t but now that the frenzy is gone, what does this mean? Was it just a one-time thing? Do I want it to be a one-time thing? My insides wildly disagree with that thought. God, he was so good. I’ll never be able to have sex again without comparing them to Zan.

As if speaking him up, I hear his footfalls walking up behind me. I know that he did it on purpose because, for such a big guy, he usually walks silently. He settles down beside me on the steps and wraps his arm around me. Naturally, I lean in and rest my head on his shoulder.

“You have been avoiding me, little Terran.” I freeze. “Do not worry, I understand more than most the need to process.”

“Should we talk about it?”

“If that is what you wish,” he answers. I shift so that I can see his face.

“Azandum, what do you wish?”

He shakes his head. “Why do you ask this?”

“Because you’re always catering to me, which I appreciate, but what you want and what you need are just as important,” I assert.

With a sigh, he shifts so that my back is to his chest. “I do not know, Echo. I have spent so many lunars trying to escape the ways of my people that I have forgotten what it feels like to want something.”

“It is okay to want things Zan. Wanting something does not make you less of who you are or more like someone else, it just means you’re a person. The thing that matters is how you go about getting what you want. Sure, you may not always get it but that’s not so bad because that just means you can set your sights elsewhere,” I explain softly.

“And if I was to say that I want you little Terran? How would you suggest I achieve that?”

My heart stutters in my chest. “I’d say just keep being who you are Azandum.”

A soft hum comes from him as he rests his chin on my shoulder. “I like that.”

We sit in companionable silence, staring at the fading sunlight. That is until I remember something. Zan seemed surprised by my sudden movement.

“Hey, how’s your wing?”

When I get behind him, he spreads them out and I see that my handprint is still engraved there. Everywhere else the scales remain their shiny black color but not here. Here they’re a silvery grey, like the building clouds in a storm.

“It does not hurt if that is what you are wondering,” Zan says.

I shake my head and sit back beside him. “But I don’t understand. How? Has that ever happened before?”

With a knowing smile, he shakes his head. “Only you, little Terran. Only you.”

Huh.

“Come, there is something I want to show you.” Zan stands up and holds out his hand. I take it and we walk back inside. He leads me down the stairs and passes the door for the library. The further we go, the darker it gets.

“Zan?” I whisper.

He chuckles. “So impatient.” I glare at him in the dark. It is quiet wherever we are and colder too. I’m being guided up a set of stairs and then my feet come in contact with a hard surface. Steel? Metal?

Light bombards my vision and I stagger back from the onslaught but Zan is right behind me. Once my eyes adjust, I see that we’re inside a spacecraft and instantly go rigid.

“Why are we here?” The question came out far more aggressive than I intended but my track record with spaceships has been less than adequate.

Seeming to understand my unease, Zan steps in front of me and looks at me carefully. “Echo, I would never do anything to hurt you. I merely wanted to show you where I’ve been spending my time.”

I nod and relax a little. I know Zan would never do anything to hurt me. He guides me to the command center and after I’ve gotten over the initial fear, the excitement starts to settle in.

“How is this even down here?” I ask, looking at all the buttons on the dashboard.

“We came in through a tunnel that leads to an open field. The ground above us hatches open wide enough for the ship to fit through. It is only used in the case of emergencies.”

Aliens. Zan takes my hand and guides me to press a button. The screen lights up and a projection expands in front of us showing thousands of star systems and planets. He shows me how to swipe through them. I see Icturi and Niscus. Then I come to the restricted planets and see a floating image of Earth.

“Do you miss your home?” Zan asks quietly, wrapping his arms around me.

“Not really. It never truly felt like home and I know that probably sounds crazy but,” I shrug. “I kind of miss Dimitri, my brother, but we were never close.”

I wonder if they even know I’m missing or if anybody knows. Maybe Karli. She would notice that I didn’t show up for work. I know I probably should but I can’t bring myself to care whether they know or not. I’ve always had a nonchalant attitude towards everything. I distantly wondered if being with Zan would change that.

“So, this has been down here the entire time?” He nods. “Which means you could’ve taken me back to Earth.”

He stiffens behind me, arms tightening around my body. “Yes,” he admits, grinding out the word. I twist in his arms to face him.

“Why didn’t you?”

“Truthfully, I did not want you to leave. It was selfish and wrong of me to withhold this from you. I didn’t give you a choice and I apologize for that. If you wish to return, I will respect your wishes.” The sullen look in his eyes pulled at my heartstrings. How could I be mad? I didn’t even want to go back. I’m kind of upset that he hid it from me but at least I know now. Zan studies my face, trying to gauge what I’m thinking.

“Thank you for apologizing but I sort of want to stay here with you. If that’s okay?”

A smile lights his features before his lips press into mine on a gentle kiss. I moan into his mouth as his tongue swirls with mine. He pushes my body closer to his and I smile.

Suddenly the dashboard starts making a noise, interrupting us. Words I can’t read flash across the screen. Zan growls before tapping a few buttons and a golden face with three crimson eyes across his forehead projects ahead of us. A few seconds later the screen splits and Amondis’ face appears. It's like spaceship FaceTime.

“Oh, my god,” I whisper to Zan. He chuckles.

“Gutark. Brother,” Zan addresses with a nod and they do the same.

Gutark studies me with his red eyes and I find myself doing the same to him. “You must be the Terran,” he finally says.

“The Terran’s name is Echo,” I bite back and he laughs, inclining his head.

“My apologies, Echo.”

I do a little wave at Amondis and he acknowledges it with a nod.

“Brother, I have contacted my men and they are willing to stand with us against Dronan if it comes to it,” Amondis tells him.

“And I will get you access to any weaponry I can,” Gutark adds.

"Thank you both. I know that this fight is not your own but it means-"

“Wait a minute. Why are you guys talking like we’re about to go to war?” I ask, stepping away and looking toward the only person in my vicinity.

“I promised to keep you safe. Dronan is vile and ruthless. He wants to breed you. There is only one way to stop men like that Echo,” Zan explains.

“Yea and how many lives is that going to cost? I won’t sacrifice someone else’s life just to save my own ass."

“Echo,” Amondis starts. “With all due respect, this isn’t just about you. A lot of these men have personally suffered at the hands of Dronan but they haven’t had the resources to do anything about it. No one has been willing to stand up to Dronan for all the crimes he's committed. You and my brother's opposition is their one chance to fight back. Do not take this from them.”

It falls silent for a moment while all of us seem to process what Amondis has said. I'll admit that it was a bit conceited to think that all these men would fight for me. But they weren't really fighting for me, were they? No, each of them has their own cause, their own reason to want to fight back. Zan and I are just the catalysts and strangely, I'm proud of that.

Gutark tells Zan that he will keep him updated before ending the call.

“Amondis, wait. Do you remember that old story mother and father used to tell us?”

“About the al sisi bond? Yes, why?” Amondis asks, confusion written in his features

“Echo is my al sisi.”

I glance back and forth between the two brothers. Zan looks almost proud whilst Amondis looks like he’s seen a ghost. Meanwhile, I have no idea what they’re talking about. Al sisi? I know that this is the word Zan said right before we had sex last night but I still have no idea what it means. Of course, the thought of our wild night sends delicious shivers down my spine.

Not the time Echo, not the time.

“I am sorry brother, you must be mistaken. That is not possible.”

Zan turns around and shows Amondis his wing. “Faex,” the brother responds. I’ve come to recognize these as some form of a curse because Zan likes to use ’vrat’ a lot.

“You have some of the old Tumerian texts stored in your library, correct?” Zan nods. “I will come back to Icturi immediately and we will study them. Brother, there hasn’t been a bond for hundreds of years. The elders will want to see this.”

Zan growls at this and pulls me to his side. “They will see nothing.”

“Calm down, brother. I was merely stating a fact. Always quick to temper, this one. This is why you received all the lashings in our youth,” Amondis snickers. Zan growls and hangs up. I snort but quickly cover my mouth.

I have so many questions and I ask them as we leave.

“You will receive all the answers in due time, but for now I must feed you.” As if on cue, my stomach growls and Zan laughs.

“Zan, why did you walk away? Before I touched your wing I mean. We were,” I blush. “Well, I’m not exactly sure what we were doing but you stopped. Why?” I ask him as we sit down and eat.

“I have been alive many lunars Echo and I am not ashamed to say that I have bedded many females.” I find myself confused at the violent wave of possessiveness that just came over me. I’ve never been the jealous type, simply because I didn’t care enough. Do I care more about Zan than I’m willing to admit?

“However,” he continues. “I’ve never had a female bring out such venereal urges and desires. I-” he shakes his head, stopping himself.

“No, Zan, please. Tell me,” I prompt.

“Echo, I saw the fear in your eyes but I also smelled your arousal, and those two together create a potent mixture. What does that say about me? A man whose haju stirs at the scent of someone else’s fear.” Zan sounded completely disgusted with himself.

“The first night I came downstairs, you could see me but I couldn’t see you. That excited you?” He nods somewhat reluctantly. “And when you hunt, let’s say for food, does that give you a thrill?” Confused, he nods again.

“You’re a natural predator. The hunt excites you. Adrenaline pumping through your veins, muscles contracting and relaxing, and endorphins flooding your body. That is who you are.”

“I’m not sure I see your point, little Terran.”

“I’m not too prideful to admit that you’re obviously the stronger species here. Me and you, Azandum, we’re predator and prey. As much as it is terrifying, it’s also exciting. Dancing on the edge of danger, straddling the fence between life and death, complete submission. Your dominion over me is just as exhilarating for me as it is for you. And that doesn’t make you a bad person Zan.”

He stares at me without saying anything for a long moment. “I will give it some thought. Emotions are complex. Often enough, many can’t be explained. Perhaps you are correct or perhaps we’re both deranged,” he finally says. I burst out laughing.

“Perhaps.”

After we finished our food, I played with Thunder for a little while before showering. I glance at my bed then I look at the door. Walking past it, I pad towards Zan’s room and tap on the door softly. It slides open to a half-naked Zan with a towel around his waist. A profound blush heats my face.

“Is there something wrong?” I smile at the concern in his tone.

“No, well, yes. Yes and no. I don’t want to sleep alone,” I finally say, looking down at my feet. His finger appears on my chin and lifts my eyes to him.

“You’re always welcome here,” he says, stepping aside. “Though I probably should’ve told you that there’s a fee to rest here,” he adds once the door closes behind me.

“Oh? And what’s that?”

A smirk forms on his face. “No clothing allowed in the bed.” My mouth falls open in disbelief, a smile tickling my lips. Zan shrugs. “House rules.”

“House rules, huh?” He just nods. When I stand up, his eyes narrow wildly. Soft cotton falls and pools at my feet. Zan lifts me from the material and carries me to bed. He indulges himself on my lips as we settle beneath the furs. It’s like tasting fire as his tongue swirls across mine.

“You are easily the most beautiful creature I’ve laid eyes on,” he whispers whilst stroking my back. I snuggle up closer to him.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” I murmur drowsily and he laughs quietly. “Zan?”

“Hm?”

“What does al sisi mean?”

“Lifemate,” the deep voice whispers as I fall asleep.

There is no storm today. The sun gleams with joy. I don’t bother questioning how I’m here anymore. Instead, I go in search of her.

I approach the guide and sit while she stands by the pond.

“Hello, Echo,” she greets.

“You know, it’s not fair that I don’t get to know your name.”

“My name is of no importance.”

“So, why am I here tonight?”

“I’m sure you know.” Zan. “Yes,” she responds even though I didn’t say anything out loud.

“That’s really weird by the way.” Laughter rings out, sounding like a delightful wind chime.

“The bond has been activated. Your journey has begun. This will be the last time we see each other.”

I look up at her. “But why? I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or how I’m supposed to feel.”

“I can not tell you how to feel, that is a right reserved for you, my dear. I have shown you the past and provided you with the knowledge necessary to prepare you. Now, you must create the future. ”

"Prepare me for wh-"

A heavy gust of wind behind me sends a wave throughout the pond, cutting my question short as it shakes the ground. Standing, I take a deep breath and turn around. Fear threatens to overtake me as I stand before this great beast. The dragon and I stare at each other as the rain suddenly begins to drown the earth once more.

“You are the storm Echo,” the woman says.

“What?!” I yell over the howling wind.

“This is your mind. The storm will continue to rage as long as you continue to fight your fate.”

Golden irises burn bright as the beast studies me. I take a shaky step forward, my heart pounding rapidly. I reach out a hand, hoping it won’t decide to eat me. A tiny laugh tickles somewhere in the back of my mind and I know my guide is amused at my thought.

The beast examines my hand before extending its head so that my palm lays flat on it. I gasp as a familiar calm settles over me, a calm I’ve only ever associated with Zan.