This Alien Soul

Chapter 29

"Haha...it's just from the chemo." I lied. It was more the shock of my drawing Aleks markings unknowingly. I remember vaguely thinking that they reminded me of the markings i had seen on his neck and arms. But these were exact replicas of the markings on his chest and back. Markings I couldn't have known about.

"How can I help?" He asked. He set the notepad down. Forgetting about everything else to take care of me.

"I need to go down to the lake, but that's not happening?" I sighed at the reminder of my imprisonment. "So I guess I just need to lay down."

Alek basically carried me to my large bed where the bedding was already pulled back, seeing as I had never bothered to make it this morning. He place me in the center of the bed and pulled the comforter around my now shivering form.

"Can you sit with me a little while?" I didn't want him to leave. And I didn't want to admit to him that his presence was as soothing as the water to my chemo riddled body.

"I'm afraid you're stuck with me until morning." He pulled his shirt back on, much to my disappointment and joined me in the bed. He sat with his back against my headboard and an arm slung around me.

"Lindsey left you here?" I moved closer so my head was rested on his abdomen. "You're not going to get caught are you?"

As glad as I was to have the time with him I didn't want him risking anything for me.

"Naw... I spend the night at the beach all the time." He shrugged away my worries. "Zeena and Zeke will cover for me if they need to. But none of the Zionians ever make a big deal out of someone going missing. We don't want to draw human attention to our coming and goings."

"So you're not the only one who leaves the compound unauthorized?"

"My lips are sealed."

"Ugh...like I would tell anyone." I pulled his free hand over so I could trace the markings decorating it. "Can everyone go invisible?"

Alek released a heavy sigh, leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling. He was obviously divided on whether to confide in me or not. I felt the minute the tension left his body and he started running his free hand through my hair. "Yes. We learn before we can even walk. We call it 'ghost mode'."

"Is it hard?"

"Nope, it's just like a switch in our brain that we learn to flip." I wished I had that ability. Then I could leave at my will.

"But I can still feel you and hear you?"

"We don't fully dissipate." He explained, sharing way more than I thought I would get out of him. "You know, you somehow saw me when I was in 'ghost mode'."

I quickly sat up so I could see him face. "When?"

"That first day in the woods. You shouldn't have been able to see me." He gently pushed me back down.

"How?" I remembered how he had seemed to appear from no where, before just as quickly disappearing from sight. I hadn't even questioned it at the time, thinking it was just my brain playing tricks.

"I don't know ....sort of like I don't know how you drew those marks. It should be impossible. I have Zeena looking into it, but I don't know how much she will be able to find."

"Great, you're leaving it all up to the girl that hates me." I sighed, we would never get answers from her.

"She doesn't hate you."

"Yes, she does. And I can't say I blame her." I would hate me too if I were her.

We fell silent, both deep in contemplation. Slowly, the pains and weakness left my body. The warmth coming from Alek's body soothing my own. The sound of his rhythmic heartbeat calming mine.

"Do the government officials know about this ability?" I broke the silence when I remembered Mayor Talis' claims on the news that they were 'just like humans'. I wondered who was lying, the Zionians or the government.

"No. So this has to stay secret." He tensed. "I'm trusting you with a lot."

"I won't tell." I reassured him. I wouldn't betray this trust. "Any other abilities I should know about?"

I had been teasing, but when I felt his body tense I knew I had hit on something. "Seriously, there's more?" Should the humans be worried about these Zionians'? What with their hidden lairs and secret abilities?

"How about we leave the rest of this discussion for another day?"

I wanted to push for more. My curiosity was spiked. But at the same time, I didn't want to push him too far. Plus, I was extremely tired now that the pain was fading. "Fine, but I'm not forgetting."

"Never doubted it." He sighed. "You're going to be the death of me."

I burrowed closer to him, throwing a leg over his own. "Thanks for staying." I muttered as I closed my eyes.