Surlock raised his head just enough to watch this miracle. His chest began to ache just looking at the beautiful sight before him. The light had begun to take the shape of a woman.
“Goddess,” Karinthia breathed.
“You have used your gift well, my child.” Her voice was as light as air.
The warmth of her voice flowed over Surlock. Tears filled his eyes. She was too beautiful to look upon for any length of time. Silver hair trailed over bare breasts and her body glowed with an ethereal light. Though her top half was that of a goddess, her bottom half was that of a prancing white horse.
“It is good that you wish to protect the ones who were born part Earthling and part Symtarian. They are not impures as some have called them. They are new life that will save our people from extinction.”
“Thank you, goddess.” Karinthia’s whispered words floated over to Surlock.
“You must protect them from the rogues. I give this charge to you, Karinthia.”
“Thank you, goddess, for placing your trust in me,” she replied reverently.
The goddess reached out, waving her hand slowly over Darcy. The goddess faded and as she did, Darcy sat up straight, gasping for air as though new breath had just been breathed into her body.
“Darcy!” Surlock ran to her, wrapping her in his arms. “I was so afraid I had lost you forever.” Tears filled his eyes as he clasped her tightly to him.
“Surlock, what happened?” She looked around. “Ohmygod, I thought I was dying. I saw the wolf again, and some other animals. But then there was a fog and the animals were gone, but there were two other men and a woman and they were naked,” her words spilled out, then just as suddenly stopped as she looked at his siblings. “Actually, they looked a lot like these people. What’s going on?”
“These are my brothers, and my sister.”
Darcy suddenly smiled. “You remember.”
“Yes.”
“Are you really a prince?”
“From New Symtaria. It’s another planet. We’re a race of shape-shifting people. The wolf, Chinktah, is my animal guide and he lives within me.”
She sniffed as tears filled her eyes. “I know a good psychiatrist. We’ll get you all the help you need.”
His siblings began to laugh. He frowned at them and their laughter changed to coughs.
“You’re part Symtarian as well. The humming in your ears is your animal guide trying to communicate with you.”
“Darcy, I’m Rogar, Surlock’s older brother and it was nice meeting you.”
“You’re leaving?” Surlock asked.
“I’m going to take Excoria back to the craft. I think you need time to explain everything to Darcy.”
“I’m Karinthia.” His sister stepped forward. “Surlock and I have always been close. I’m glad he found you.” She smiled.
Kristor was next. “Little Darcy, it is good you came back. I don’t think Surlock would have been worth being around if you hadn’t.”
All three stood together as the fog began to roll in. Surlock took Darcy’s hand. When she opened her mouth to ask about the fog, he placed a finger against her lips. “Just watch. This is who we are. Who you are.”
The fog cleared. Three animals were in front of them. Sheets on the floor. Darcy gripped his hand.
The jaguar jumped to the table, then regally bowed her head before jumping down. The hawk landed on the table, spread his wings, then flew away. The unicorn stopped beside the table and lowered his head briefly before joining the other animals.
Darcy turned to him. “I … I don’t understand.”
“I’ll explain everything. First, you’ll call your parents and tell them you’ll be home tomorrow. Then I’ll tell you everything.”
“Yes, I think you’re right,” she said. What else could she do?
He helped her off the table. As they went into the other room, Excoria was stumbling out the door, surrounded by animals.
Darcy stopped in her tracks. “Are you sure I’m not hallucinating? Maybe I’m dead and just don’t know it.” She looked at him. “If I am, then I must be in heaven because you’re here with me.” He shook his head. “You’re not dead. My sister used her magic to heal you.”
“I’m not going to die? I mean, like within the next few hours?”
He shook his head.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, I’d hate to tell my parents I was alive only to keel over dead.” She looked around, saw the phone Excoria had been using, and punched in the number of the house.
“Hello?” Her father answered in the middle of the first ring.
“Dad. I’m fine. Everything is okay.”
“Darcy, is this really you?”
“Yes, Dad. Surlock and his brothers and sister saved my life. The rogue—uh, I mean my kidnapper—will be transported someplace where she won’t be able to hurt anyone else.” She took a deep breath.
“When will you be home?”
“Tomorrow. Surlock needs to explain some things to me. It’s complicated, Dad.”
“You mean about you being part alien and all?”
She moved the phone away from her ear and stared at it, then looked at Surlock. “You told him I’m part alien?”
“He needed to know.”
She nodded. Of course, he was right. She moved the phone back to her ear. “And you believed him?”
“Not at first. I thought he’d escaped from the state hospital, but when a man changes into a wolf right in front of your eyes, it’s hard not to believe aliens exist.”
And yet, Darcy still had trouble grasping it. She supposed it was better than being werewolves. She mentally shook her head. “How’s Mom?”
“She’ll be much better when I tell her you’re okay.”
“Are you going to tell her I’m part alien?”
He paused. “I might wait to tell her that. Sometimes seeing is believing. Besides, she’s had enough shocks.”
“True.” She cleared her throat. “Dad, I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” She slowly closed the phone. “That’s done.” She set the phone down, then turned and went into Surlock’s arms. “Have I mentioned how much I love you?” There, she’d said the words out loud.
He pulled her closer. “I love you, too.” His lips lowered to hers in a searing kiss that curled her toes. His tongue caressed hers, causing an explosion of desire to flood her body. When they finally broke apart, they were breathing hard.
Her heart soared. She’d never once imagined she could feel so much love for this man or that he would return her feelings. Darcy felt as if her world was completely in sync.
Well, except for the fact she was part alien. “Maybe you’d better tell me exactly who I am.”
“Then you should sit on the sofa and I’ll take the chair because if I’m too close, I’ll never be able to tell you everything.”
She knew what he was saying. It was all she could do to keep her hands to herself, but she needed to know where she came from. “Maybe you could give me the short version.”
CHAPTER 31
“New Symtaria does exist,” Surlock began, “but it’s another planet. When the old planet was dying, the elders went in search of a new one. There weren’t enough spacecraft so some of our people chose other planets. When a new home was found, there was much to be done. Many years passed. The old ruler died; the lost people were forgotten. They integrated with people from Earth, adopting their ways.”
“How sad that your own people would forget about you,” she said. “But why are these rogues trying to kill us?”
“Your blood isn’t pure. Your father was an Earthling and your mother a Symtarian. They think it’s an abomination, but it isn’t. Our blood has become too pure. In some of our people, the animal guide has become more aggressive. That isn’t what our goddesses and gods had hoped to accomplish when they chose to join with our people centuries ago. They wanted us to coexist.”
“And I have an animal guide living in me?” Okay, she wasn’t so sure about all this now.