A Little Wish Upon a Star Page 5

  "Wow, I've heard of slow bloomers, but damn! You are well-preserved for a man old enough to be my great-grandfather."

  He grinned, thanked her, and then told her about his collection and constant treasure hunt for the rare and unique. "This is the part where you become involved," he said. "Do you remember this?"

  Tabitha's hands quivered as he placed her note, the picture and lock of hair in her hands. "How did you get it?" she said.

  "I found the bottle in the Archives. It had to have been picked up as space debris. I opened it and found those items. Your hair allowed me to run the universal DNA scanner, which locked onto you immediately after you were taken out of your orbit. My father insisted on helping me collect you."

  Tears welled in her eyes as she turned the picture to study it. "I was eight when the direction of my life was changed," she said softly. "A radiated meteor wiped out the entire town and killed off my family. The government rescued the surviving children and brought us to a compound. Because it was all over the news, the politicians hatched a plan that would calm the general public. They selected me to put a wish in a bottle to send into space, in a small capsule that they captioned, 'Our Hope for Tomorrow Will Begin With The Stars.' Right after I returned, a deadly virus spread through the compound. They initially thought that I was the one who introduced it."

  Quietly, she explained the events to this new friend; an alien who had rescued her from death—a creature who had sought to save her from isolation, loneliness, endless needles and biopsies. She paused and looked out the window for several seconds.

  "When I was very young, my family used to call me Tabby-Cat. Buzz adopted it and ended up being a father figure for me, as well as a friend. I believed that I would disappear like all the other children, and was afraid of hurting him, so I prevented him from ever coming into my heart. The fear of being abandoned again ended up being a self-fulfilling prophecy. Buzz gave me that bear so I wouldn't have to be alone when I died."

  "Did you name the bear?" Seth asked softly.

  "Yes. I call him Buzz. He helped me realize how many mistakes I've made in my life that can never be changed. I've been so stupid." She was suddenly aware of the childlike tone in her voice. Where is that coming from?

  "Well, you need to tell Buzz that mistakes are for learning. It's the 'on-purposes' that you have to be careful of. And you are not stupid."

  "I've had a lot of those, too. I'm what you would call a 'total fuck-up.'"

  "Please do not insult yourself. You are an amazing little girl with a lot of courage, inner strength and an incredible streak of luck. I intend to make your wish come true, Tabitha."

  "Really? How?" she asked.

  "I am going to care for you. It is very simple."

  "I'm twenty-six years old. I don't need anyone to take care of me."

  "I said care for you; although taking care of you would be included. By Lotopian standards, you are a child who has the appearance of an adult. You know nothing about this planet, the culture, the science, the language… there is so much to show you. You need a guide, a guardian and a teacher, and I intend on being that person," Seth said firmly.

  Chapter Four

  Tabitha frowned. She had dealt with men like Seth when she'd been in the academy and flight training. They needed to be swiftly put in line, right from the beginning. "I'm not your pet, okay? While I do appreciate you coming to my rescue and saving my life, I will remind you that that was your choice. I didn't ask for your help," she said.

  He tilted his head. "Actually, you did. You sent a message in a bottle into space, asking for someone to find you and take care of you. I responded to that request the moment it came to me."

  "Let me rephrase this. I might not have the education of someone from your planet, but I am a licensed test pilot where I come from. My degree is in astrophysics, which is indicative of my ability to comprehend complexity. Accordingly, I am quite able to learn whatever I need to know without anyone holding my hand. You can't just appear in my life, declare yourself to be a knight in shining armor, and expect me to flutter like a simpering idiot at your feet just because you said so."

  "I certainly can. I am the crown prince of Lotopia," Seth said, with a lazy smile.

  It irritated her that he was completely unintimidated by her tone. Most men had the decency to at least cringe when she took that stance. "Playing Prince Charming won't work on me," she countered. "I'm a hard bitch back on Earth, and have learned to deal with rogues like you. I wish I could say that I was surprised to find that men are no different here than back home. This seems to be a universal affliction of the dominant male persona, and someone needs to put you boys in your place."

  "I don't know any of the men back on Earth, so I can't evaluate their motives. What I can do is to inform you that I am sincere in my intents and that I will not be dissuaded," Seth said.

  "What you are is presumptive and stubborn."

  "Thank you. I've been told that those are two of my better traits. Are all females on Earth as defensive as you are?"

  "I'm not defensive. I'm realistic." Tabitha was still too tired to put up a strong argument and sighed. "You are a cute one, I will admit. But no. I don't care whether you are a prince, a butcher, baker or a candle-stick maker. I will not relinquish my care to anyone. It's not my style."

  "We'll see. Let's get you into some clothing and feed you a hot meal. After you get some rest, I will show you around."

  "I don't think that is a wise idea," she said.

  "Why not? Are you opposed to clothing, food and a nice nap?"

  "I am not opposed to either clothing or food, but it will be a cold day in hell before I start taking naps."

  "It will take a few days to adjust to the three phases of our daily cycle. I will put you on a routine to help you," Seth said calmly.

  Tabitha pointed her finger straight at him. "I will tell you one last time that I am not a child. Neither you, the king, nor anyone else has the right to dictate my schedule."

  "Really? Tell me how you functioned during your time at the service academy. Isn't there a strictly regimented schedule of training, rest periods, food breaks and education?"

  "That's different!"

  "It is no different. The service teaches you discipline and structure, and you require both."

  "How much time did you spend in the service?" Tabitha spouted back.

  "All Lotopians are taught structure and discipline throughout our lives."

  "You didn't answer me."

  "I am not required to. You will sleep when instructed, especially since you have not fully recovered from your journey. When you rise, you will eat everything given you and then do whatever I feel is best."

  Why was he being so casual about this? His bossy words did not match his easygoing tone, so she was finding it difficult to get angry. "That is not how one wins an argument," she said.

  "No? How about this? You are my responsibility, young lady, and I will not permit you to hurt yourself because you insist on being obstinate. That means rest, food and education." His voice changed, becoming firm and resolute in purpose. This was a voice that would not be challenged, and that demanded immediate and absolute obedience.

  To hell with that, Tabitha thought. Maybe it works in his world, but not in mine!

  "I'm serious about this, and need you to put your macho image aside and listen carefully. Please. There is something about me that you don't understand, and that could be a potential danger," she said, trying to remain calm and try a different approach with him.

  "I'm listening."

  "The radiation from the meteor was deadly. Not only did it leave me with Stage I Type-X bone cancer, but I'm also a carrier for the antibodies of the mutated viral infection. I was kept in a bubble, away from the outside world for years once the doctors connected the virus with so many deaths. Every few weeks, they exposed me to different diseases, trying to find the one that would either mutate or kill me."

  "That is cruel. Why would anyone d
o that to a child?" The man had immediate tears in his eyes.

  His compassion jolted her. "They were not being cruel, they were desperate. Desperate to find a cure for an epidemic that had not yet occurred. Desperate to find a reason to keep me from being unleashed upon the world and possibly starting an epidemic. I've been exposed to every human disease in existence, and none of them killed me. But their plans failed when they were unable to isolate the cells that protected my body from disease. Since they no longer had reason to keep me locked up as their human guinea pig, they had to let me go," Tabitha explained.

  "I still don't understand your hesitation to see my world."

  "I'm immune from human disease. The microbes here are something completely different. That means there is a strong chance that sickness of any kind will quickly destroy me—if the bone cancer doesn't knock me off first."

  "Ceres will heal you. We have—"

  She was quick to interrupt him. "You really try to be incredibly sweet, don't you? Be careful, or it might become really annoying. Type X cancer cells are believed to attack an unidentified DNA sequence and, thus far, have no cure. They develop slowly at first and then come on with a vengeance. I wish you would have just allowed me to stay out there to die. You would have spared me the suffering."

  "There will be no suffering. I will take you to the research facility tomorrow and have this Type X evaluated. It will then be eradicated. As for contracting disease, that is impossible. Sickness and physical illness caused by bacteria and virus do not exist here."

  "Excuse me?"

  "It's true. One can get an upset stomach from eating too much, or break an arm while trying to catch a Bombat, but otherwise we are without maladies of any kind," Seth said simply.

  "Oh, dear Lord! That's even worse! What if I infect you guys? A virus would kill you off immediately since you have no antibodies."

  "No, it would not. Ceres protects us from the invisible harm."

  "Hey, if you want religion, go for it. You just can't depend on it to keep you safe."

  "Ceres is not a religion. It is our moon. She is our mother and our healer. Life exists because of her," he explained.

  "Okay, ground rules. No discussions about politics or religion. Doing so asks for nothing but trouble."

  "Ceres has nothing to do with either politics or religion," Seth answered.

  Tabitha rolled her eyes. Didn't anything ruffle the man? "I'm not in the mood to get into this right now. Where are those clothes you promised me?"

  "Until I can have coverings made to fit you, you can either wear children's garments or Helminth garb. Personally, I would prefer you in Lotopian children's wear. To us, you are the size of a child this age." He held up her picture and smiled.

  "Don't you even think about dressing me up like I was eight, mister."

  "You were very pretty. You're even smiling, although your eyes were filled with sadness."

  "I had very little to smile about in those days," she admitted.

  "My interest in Earth brought me to neglect my Lotopian studies, so I haven't yet learned how to fully tap into Soul's Heart. I have a reason to, now. Through that, I can give you much to smile about."

  "What is tapping into the Soul's Heart?"

  "Some Lotopians, like my father, have the ability to influence another Lotopian if they can be drawn into his gaze. It leaves a print upon both people as a sort of friendship bond," Seth explained.

  "Like a vampire 'hypnotizes' his victims on that TV show True Blood? They stare at the person and put them under a spell."

  "I sense you are mocking me." He frowned. "I don't care for being disrespected, Tabby. I have done nothing to deserve it, nor will I tolerate it being directed towards me at any time."

  "No need to get your panties in a knot. I apologize. Please continue."

  "This ability is passed from father to son only, and can be very powerful. It was outlawed centuries ago because men came into rule by using that power to gain support. With power came corruption and greed. Our people grew weak-minded and soft, making us prime targets for an invading species called the Helminthe. The invaders forced the breeding of men with the Ability in an attempt to build a new race, but were unsuccessful. The majority of the offspring were either fully Lotopian or fully Helminth, and only one in a million was birthed with mutual characteristics. These children were largely found repulsive to either race, so they were unable to continue their line."

  "Why didn't they just breed with each other?" Tabby asked curiously.

  "The hybrids are not genetically compatible with one another."

  "So what happened?"

  "The Helminthe began to use the Lotopians as fertilizer and snacks. A faction of Lotopians escaped the city, and were gathered as an army by a man who had secretly nurtured his Ability. He placed thoughts and the belief in righteousness, confidence and fearlessness in his followers. They attacked the Helminth hive and drove them to the barren mountains of Hitopia. As a gesture of surrender, the daughter of the Helminth king remained, and pledged that the Helminthe would never rise against Lotopia again if we did two things. The first was to provide them with everything they required to exist. The second was that the general of the Lotopian army agreed to wed the Helminth princess and produce a child. As long as a child from that bloodline sits on the throne, a promise of peace remains."

  "From what you tell me, it seems like the poor king got the bad end of the deal," Tabby said.

  "Oh, he most certainly did." Seth laughed. "But his heart was pure, and his intent honorable. They did have a child, six seasons after the war ended. He was a hybrid."

  "That's you, isn't it?"

  "Smart girl. Yes, it is me. Father believes that I have the Ability, but I have had no reason or desire to nurture it."

  "Then you're an idiot," she said.

  "My mother would agree with you. I will spare you from her disparaging comments for as long as I am able. Now, back to our original subject. Here are some clothing options that should fit you."

  She stared at the oddly shaped, pajama-like outfits worn by children who appeared to be between the ages of four and seven. "They're all hideous. I'll take whatever is available immediately."

  "I'll choose for you," Seth said, his eyes glittering. Seconds later, a pink garment appeared on the ordering platform. "Here we are. Was that fast enough for you? This is called a kata."

  "Pink? Seriously? I don't wear pink."

  "You do now. It's a little tricky to drape it. Would you like some help?"

  Tabitha wrinkled her nose, turning the silky soft material over in her hands. "This looks like a cross between an Indian sari, a t-shirt, and biker shorts. What do you use for underwear?"

  "Already on it," Seth said, producing a strip of pink material with a happy grin.

  "I am not wearing this thing. It's like butt crack floss."

  "Yes, you are wearing this thing. Stop being so difficult and put it on."

  "Fine! Stop looking at me like that," she rebuffed, pulling on the clothing while keeping herself covered with the towel.

  "Your body is beautiful. Why shouldn't I look?"

  "It isn't the actual looking, it's how you are looking. One would think I was covered in hot chocolate fudge and rainbow sprinkles."

  "I'm afraid I don't understand those references," Seth admitted.

  "It means that you are practically drooling, like you would over a dessert."

  "You are beautiful, but I assure you that my looking at you is more out of curiosity than arousal. Put your legs here. It always opens to the back. Now, slide your left arm through this sleeve and your right arm through the slit. The remainder of the material wraps behind your back and over the left shoulder. It's then tied in place with a sash."

  "I feel ridiculous. I can't lift my arms," Tabitha said.

  He ignored her comment and began to brush out her damp, blonde hair. Her scalp was still tingling from the shampoo, and the feel of his fingers made her tremble. The touch of his flesh agai
nst hers was electrifying. Literally.

  "Why is this happening?" she asked, watching the hair on her arms rising to his touch.

  "Do you like it? I can stop."

  "I, uh, I…" Tabitha was speechless with confusion. It was so intimate and personal—both drawing her in and repelling her. She jerked away. "Are you doing that on purpose? Answer my question!"

  "I don't understand your anger. Was it pleasurable?"

  "I don't want to talk about that. I just want to know how you did it."

  "Part of being a hybrid means I inherited aspects of the Helminth race that are, well, useful. A Helminth female cannot conceive unless she orgasms, so the ability to provide sexual fulfillment is paramount. The primary organ is designed for deep and elongated penetration, and the secondary characteristics bring about very strong physical reactions. I can control some of the chemicals in my blood and increase my electrical current. Give me your palm."

  Cautiously, Tabitha obeyed.

  He sandwiched her tiny hand between his large ones. "Feel how warm my hands are? They can be used to soothe. A little current is added and you get a stroking sensation. More can arouse you…" he watched at her as she started to pant, "and a little more—"

  "OW!"

  "Can bring pain. I can control this over my entire body. Even my tongue. That is another characteristic that women find appealing. I won't go into detail as to what it can do."

  "Nor am I asking," Tabitha forced out. Her mind was swimming with thoughts and images never conceived before. It's the chemicals, she reminded herself. Nothing more. "What's that scent?"

  "What scent?"

  "I smelled it earlier. Your cologne. It's like a light musk, with a hint of sandalwood and pine. It makes me think of a warm bed on a cold snowy night, with a crackling fire in the corner of the room." She inhaled the aroma into the fullness of her lungs, her body becoming relaxed and desiring something 'more'. No breath was deep enough to permit her to permanently capture the scent.

  "I'm not wearing cologne," Seth told her.