blur, light and beauty rushed from his bedroom, and he followed as fast as he could.
Aaron came around the corner of the house. An older boy fled on his bike. David lay against the hood of the car, blood dripping down his chin. Jade bent over David, lifted him—sucking the blood from David’s lips?
“Jade, let him go!”
Either David was unable or unwilling to escape Jade’s embrace. Aaron grabbed her shoulder, his arm raised, but how could he hit her? How could he not? As if she heard the panic thumping from his chest, Jade released David and Aaron yanked her away from the boy.
“Jade, what the hell are you doing? David?”
Jesus . No blood, swelling, or mark on his son. David appeared dazed and—oh God—electrocuted. His blackened eyes had dilated, his charged hair tufted out. Aaron had allowed his child to be kissed by an alien. One he so wanted to taste himself.
“What happened?” He forced his voice calm. “Wait. Let’s get inside. Can you walk? Son?” His dread lessened as David gave a sheepish nod, and pushed himself up from the car.
Aaron made sure the boy could stand on his own, before turning back to meltdown time again. Her huge eyes held so much apprehension. “Jade?”
“Light’s wrong. The sky’s horrid, and this liquid is the most awful.” Jade’s tears welled over. She raised her shaking hand to her lips.
Aaron pushed aside the sight of her pretty, green tongue licking his son’s blood. The deep blue morning sky highlighted a perfect summer day. Her bare feet stood in the ivory sand—he picked her up. Sucked David’s blood? Healed all traces of injury? His bundle of vampiric air cradled tight, Aaron led back into the house and settled Jade on the couch.
David ran into the bedroom. An explosion of kinetic energy that was still half mass, minus an estimated teaspoon or two of blood, multiplied by velocity of alien kiss squared—his son was still human, wasn’t he?
Blanket in hand, David returned and placed it on Jade’s lap. He then sat as close as he dared, and raised his flushed face to Aaron, his chin jutted with defiance. Jade cringed, as if the man kneeling in front of them was judge, jury, and executioner.
“David?”
“Well, this kid, Kenny, he stopped and he hit me.”
“Why?”
“That party last night. I was supposed to give him money…for food and soda. He wanted me to pay, even though I didn’t go. It was dumb because he’s so big, but I kinda told him—you know.”
“Food and soda? Think I’m stupid? Then what happened?”
“Um, Kenny saw Jade. He heard you bang the door, and he ran…then…Dad? She tastes so awesome. Electric. It was—I’m all right. Don’t yell.”
“Don’t yell? She suck the brains out of you? Are you a mutant now? Or just a kid thinking about making out with pretty green aliens?”
“You’re not funny, dad.”
“Wash up and go get breakfast, lunch, whatever, okay?”
David fled to the kitchen. Jade flinched back against the couch as if he’d smack her, and Aaron sagged. “You shouldn’t have kissed David,” he said quietly. “He’s only a kid. How’d you heal him like that?”
“I don’t know. I don’t understand kissing. I wanted to make the wrong…red…go away. I hurt David?”
“He seems fine, but I’m worried. I don’t understand what you are. He’s my son. I need to keep him safe. I don’t mean to frighten you.” He’d love to brush the wobble from her lip, but he settled for running his fingers through his hair. “Is there anything you’d like? Something to eat?”
“I don’t think I need to eat. Aaron? I’m afraid. Everything’s so wrong, and now you’re angry at me and I-I…”
“Shh. I’m struggling not to frighten you. I should get back on my computer. Hopefully, I can find out something other than you like water and music. Hey, maybe a bath would soothe some of your worry. I’ll be right back.”
Aaron headed for his bedroom. Doesn’t eat. Healing powers. Afraid of
Aaron came around the corner of the house. An older boy fled on his bike. David lay against the hood of the car, blood dripping down his chin. Jade bent over David, lifted him—sucking the blood from David’s lips?
“Jade, let him go!”
Either David was unable or unwilling to escape Jade’s embrace. Aaron grabbed her shoulder, his arm raised, but how could he hit her? How could he not? As if she heard the panic thumping from his chest, Jade released David and Aaron yanked her away from the boy.
“Jade, what the hell are you doing? David?”
Jesus . No blood, swelling, or mark on his son. David appeared dazed and—oh God—electrocuted. His blackened eyes had dilated, his charged hair tufted out. Aaron had allowed his child to be kissed by an alien. One he so wanted to taste himself.
“What happened?” He forced his voice calm. “Wait. Let’s get inside. Can you walk? Son?” His dread lessened as David gave a sheepish nod, and pushed himself up from the car.
Aaron made sure the boy could stand on his own, before turning back to meltdown time again. Her huge eyes held so much apprehension. “Jade?”
“Light’s wrong. The sky’s horrid, and this liquid is the most awful.” Jade’s tears welled over. She raised her shaking hand to her lips.
Aaron pushed aside the sight of her pretty, green tongue licking his son’s blood. The deep blue morning sky highlighted a perfect summer day. Her bare feet stood in the ivory sand—he picked her up. Sucked David’s blood? Healed all traces of injury? His bundle of vampiric air cradled tight, Aaron led back into the house and settled Jade on the couch.
David ran into the bedroom. An explosion of kinetic energy that was still half mass, minus an estimated teaspoon or two of blood, multiplied by velocity of alien kiss squared—his son was still human, wasn’t he?
Blanket in hand, David returned and placed it on Jade’s lap. He then sat as close as he dared, and raised his flushed face to Aaron, his chin jutted with defiance. Jade cringed, as if the man kneeling in front of them was judge, jury, and executioner.
“David?”
“Well, this kid, Kenny, he stopped and he hit me.”
“Why?”
“That party last night. I was supposed to give him money…for food and soda. He wanted me to pay, even though I didn’t go. It was dumb because he’s so big, but I kinda told him—you know.”
“Food and soda? Think I’m stupid? Then what happened?”
“Um, Kenny saw Jade. He heard you bang the door, and he ran…then…Dad? She tastes so awesome. Electric. It was—I’m all right. Don’t yell.”
“Don’t yell? She suck the brains out of you? Are you a mutant now? Or just a kid thinking about making out with pretty green aliens?”
“You’re not funny, dad.”
“Wash up and go get breakfast, lunch, whatever, okay?”
David fled to the kitchen. Jade flinched back against the couch as if he’d smack her, and Aaron sagged. “You shouldn’t have kissed David,” he said quietly. “He’s only a kid. How’d you heal him like that?”
“I don’t know. I don’t understand kissing. I wanted to make the wrong…red…go away. I hurt David?”
“He seems fine, but I’m worried. I don’t understand what you are. He’s my son. I need to keep him safe. I don’t mean to frighten you.” He’d love to brush the wobble from her lip, but he settled for running his fingers through his hair. “Is there anything you’d like? Something to eat?”
“I don’t think I need to eat. Aaron? I’m afraid. Everything’s so wrong, and now you’re angry at me and I-I…”
“Shh. I’m struggling not to frighten you. I should get back on my computer. Hopefully, I can find out something other than you like water and music. Hey, maybe a bath would soothe some of your worry. I’ll be right back.”
Aaron headed for his bedroom. Doesn’t eat. Healing powers. Afraid of
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