Snatched

Myeong & Roco

They were kissing again. They hadn't stopped kissing since the moment she'd returned from the helmet room. No, that was an exaggeration. Many women would disagree. Her experience of "lots" of kissing was distorted since Paul had rarely done any kissing at all. Only when he'd been sorry about something. Usually just after he'd shouted at her or slapped her.

Myeong pulled away with a jerk.

'What's wrong?' Roco said. They were sitting across from each other at the little table. The remains of their dinner turning cold. Roco was grasping her hand upon the metal surface. His eyes were hooded and his lips were swollen.

Myeong smiled. 'Nothing.' Why couldn't she get Paul out of her head? Because you're still married.

'No. Something's wrong.' The alien touched her cheek, his yellow eyes darting between hers. 'Tell me.'

Myeong bit her lip. 'I can't stop thinking about him.'

His hand fell away. He turned stiff. 'The Rictorian?' His voice was low.

'It's not like that,' she said quickly, knowing what he was thinking. 'I don't love him. I don't even like him.' I never liked him. Myeong shook her head, amazed at how her brain was working, now that she was away from him. The revelations kept coming. Revelations she'd always felt but never understood or desired to understand. It had been too hard. She'd always been wrong.

You're such an idiot, Paul used to tell her all the time. But she wasn't an idiot. He was the idiot. So why couldn't she get him out of her head?

'Then ... why?' Roco said.

'He has a hold of me.' Myeong closed her eyes, shutting out Roco's concerned gaze, lest she burst into tears. Clenching her fists, she gritted her teeth. 'Even so far away. He's right here.' She tapped the side of her head.

They fell into silence. Myeong opened her eyes as the silence stretched. He'd turned away, looking down at the floor, the big muscles in his shoulders bunched up around his neck.

Myeong's lips started to tremble. Had she said something wrong? Was he angry at her? Maybe she shouldn't have spoken about Paul. She tried to slide her hand from beneath his but he gripped it firmly.

'I wish I could go back,' he said in a growl. 'I wish I could go back to Rictor 5 and rip his heart out.'

He raised his face, yellow eyes blazing. Then his gaze softened as he took up her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles, kissing them one by one.

'You still fear me,' he said.

Myeong pressed her lips together as they continued to tremble. 'No. It's not you. It's ...' She bit her lip. She didn't know what it was.

'We are to be bonded. How are we going to bond if you're afraid of me?' Releasing her hand, he stood.

Myeong gazed up at his huge height.

'I don't blame you,' he said. 'I'm even big for a Zibon. There are so many things I could do to you and you could do nothing. That Paul is like a worm against the likes of me. I can see that in your eyes too. How much harder do you think I can punch? How easy would it be for me to ... to take what I wanted? Whatever I wanted?'

Their eyes locked for a moment before Myeong looked away.

'All of that I see in your eyes,' he said. 'I know you think of such things—and I hate that.' He went over to a wall near the bed. He pressed a button and a shelf opened up close to the ceiling. He was so tall he barely needed to stretch out his arm to reach whatever he was after. He pulled out a box and rummaged inside, took something out and put the box back.