A crash in the kitchen swept the gloomy thoughts out of her mind. She jerked her head up and so did Jodi. The two sisters exchanged glances and Melli couldn’t help remembering what had happened the last time they’d been together and heard a strange noise in the other room. They had been at her mom’s house for a family movie night. And then—
Another crash sounded, interrupting her thoughts.
“What do you suppose that is?” James asked, frowning.
He was the only one in the room who wasn’t crying. In fact, he had a cool look of disinterest on his face, as though whatever was happening in the kitchen was much more entertaining than sitting here watching Melli cry while Jodi comforted her.
“Do you think a raccoon or something somehow got it?” he said to Jodi, as he went towards the kitchen.
“James, don’t!” Melli and Jodi exclaimed at the same time, but he was already pushing open the door that led to the small kitchen and dining nook.
The minute he opened it, a scaly green hand with seven fingers shot out and grabbed his wrist. Melli screamed and Jodi jumped to her feet.
“Fight it, James—we have to get out of here!” she shouted.
But James was standing there like a idiot, staring at the hand around his wrist like he didn’t understand.
And of course, by that time it was too late. The lizard-like Varians came pouring into the living area, holding those deadly little weapons that looked like ballpoint pens but which could cut a hole the size of a trashcan lid in anything, as Melli remembered with a shiver.
She and Jodi gripped each other, fright filling them.
Oh my God, Melli thought. But they’re gone—aren’t they all supposed to be gone? How did they get through the new security net? Or have they been here all along, just waiting for Jodi and me to be without our Kindred protectors?
“Take them,” one of the Varians, who seemed to be the leader hissed. “Thessse are the femalesss we are looking for.”
“What about the male?” the one holding James asked.
The leader shrugged. “We have no quarrel with him.” He peered at James. “Unlesss you intend to cause a ruckusss when we take the femalesss?”
“What? Me cause a ruckus? Certainly not!” James held up his free hand in a “don’t shoot” gesture. “Take them—take them both. Just leave me alone.”
“James!” Jodi looked at her fiancé, clearly aghast.
“Sorry, Darling but really, what can I do?” he asked, shrugging at her. “They’re armed aliens. And we’re completely outnumbered.”
“What you could do is fight for me!” Jodi said fiercely. “That’s what Vorn would do!”
“Well, Vorn isn’t here right now,” James snapped. “But I’ll be sure to let him know you send your regards when next I see him.”
Even through her fear, Melli could scarcely believe her big sister’s fiancé was being such a coward! Not only that, he was being really nasty too—acting like he wasn’t sorry a bit that she and Jodi were about to be abducted by aliens that looked like a cross between an iguana and an alligator.
Jodi seemed to feel the same way Melli did—or else maybe the way James was acting was bringing some long-buried emotions up to the surface because she suddenly rounded on her fiancé.
“I cheated on you, you know,” she spat at James. “Not nearly as much as I wanted to but I most definitely cheated while you were gone.”
“Yes, I surmised as much from our earlier conversation,” James said dryly. “That’s quite all right, Darling—I spent every night of my conference with a very attractive female colleague myself. She’s so much more intellectually gifted than you.”
“What?” Jodi gasped. “But I only sort of cheated and only because I couldn’t help it. I mean, not at first, anyway. What excuse do you have?”
He shrugged again.
“Do I need an excuse? Dianne and I spend every conference together. I guess you could say it’s sort of our thing.”
“Your thing? How long as this been going on?” Jodi demanded. “Weeks? Months?”
“Years, Darling, and before you ask, no, I had no notion of stopping once we were wed. I didn’t think I should have to give up all the little pleasures in life simply because I had finally consented to make an honest woman of you.”
For a moment Jodi seemed at a loss for what to say. Finally, she said,
“I just hope you satisfied that skank Dianne better than you did me. Do you know I never once had an orgasm with you? I had to finish myself off after you went to sleep every time!”
At last she seemed to have struck a nerve. James’ face went red , then white.
“The reason I couldn’t ‘satisfy’ you was because of your perverted sexual appetites,” he spat. “Spanking and bondage and all that other filth. You disgust me, Jodi—you and your twisted sexual needs.”
“You uptight little asshole!” Jodi snarled. “Just because I’m not a prude who insists on only having sex in the missionary position with the lights out does not make me perverted. Lots of people enjoy alternative sexual practices!”
“Lots of sick people, you mean,” James hissed.
“Why you…” Apparently at a total loss for words this time, Jodi took off the large diamond engagement ring she’d been wearing for the past few years and threw it at him. It bounced off James’ skinny chest and tinkled on the floor. “The wedding is off. I never want to see you again!” she shouted.
James made a mock sad face.
“Well, I don’t suppose you ever will, Darling—considering that you’re being abducted by aliens.”
Melli couldn’t believe he was being so cold.
“What’s wrong with you?” she demanded. “Didn’t you ever love Jodi at all?”
“Well, what is love, anyway?” James began philosophically. “If one consults the writings of Aristotle and Plato—”
“Enough of thisss,” the leader of the Varians hissed. “We have no more time. Bring the femalesss to the sship.”
“Let us go! Let go!” Jodi shouted, struggling as two Varian soldiers came to grip
