Page 18 of Master
“I’ll just be glad when we can find everyone and get back home,” I sighed, realizing that as crazy as my escape from the hedonism ship, it was tame compared to my friends.
The glance shared between Emmy and Daisy at my words sent a frigid chill skittering down my spine.
“What is it?
“Tarook didn’t tell you?” Emmy asked.
I squirmed in my seat.
“We didn’t have a chance to talk much." Beside me, Tarook gave a low chuckle. I wished I still held the gun. "We were too busy trying to escape and not get killed.”
Daisy drew a deep breath and gave me a sad smile. "We can't go back to Earth."
“Why not?” I tried not to sound as upset as I felt.
Emmy leaned forward and stretched her hand out like she expected to be able to touch me through the hologram. "The planetary Alliance that governs everything forbids returning a human to Earth once they’ve gone through the Garoot Healer.”
“The what?” I blinked.
“The machine that made us young again,” Daisy explained.
"The healer doesn't just revert our bodies to the moment of most perfect health," Emmy added. "It lengthens our life spans, makes us resistant to disease and a couple of other things that would be hard to explain back on Earth.”
“Wow.” I glanced down at my body. The perky boobs and firm ass long thought lost to age might be mine for longer thantwenty years this time. The idea of never returning to Earth was jarring, but not as much as I expected. Curtis was gone. Everything on Earth reminded me I'd have to live the rest of my life without him.
Even my daughter.
My relationship with Victoria had always been strained. She was just like me, smart and obstinate. When she wanted to go to college abroad, it was Curtis, not me, who supported the idea. During the five years Curtis was sick, Victoria accused me of putting our search for a cure before everything. She was right. She married a French architect without inviting us to the wedding. The funeral was the last time I saw her and my granddaughter, Mavis. I tried reaching out, but to Victoria, it was too little too late. I mourned the idea of never seeing my daughter and granddaughter again, but in context of the relationship I wished we had. As things stood, there was nothing to mourn but regrets and lost chances.
“Are you okay never going home again?” Daisy didn’t have children, but Emmy did—two grown boys.
"More than okay." Daisy gave a wistful smile. I'd honestly never seen her as content and happy. The sadness she wore like a shroud after her husband's death finally lifted.
“I miss my boys every day, but this is my home now," Emmy said softly, her gaze flickering to someone who stood off camera.
“Seriously?” Emmy was close with her children—unlike me.
"Time moves differently in space." Emmy issued a knowing gaze tinged with sadness. "It feels like only a few weeks since we got abducted, but a few months have passed on Earth,"
I jerked my gaze to Tarook, who nodded in agreement.
"My boys have mourned me and moved on. I'm okay with that. It's the circle of life." Emmy shifted in her seat, lowering her gaze. When she lifted her eyes, the sadness dissipated. "It helps that I've found love again."
"That does help," Daisy agreed, squeezing Emmy's hand.
“Are you two telling me you found a couple of alien boyfriends?" I barked. Tarook didn't hide his amused chuckle.
“It’s a little more than that, but yes,” Emmy laughed. “Daisy mated with Daicon, the War Chief, and I've mated to Khaion, the Chieftain.”
Mated?
"What the hell?”
Emmy snorted with laughter. "You weren't blind the last time we saw you. You can't deny the Vaktaire are gorgeous.”
“Alien Jamie Fraser’s the lot of them," Daisy giggled. "Plus, Daicon is the sweetest, kindest guy imaginable.”
I couldn't deny that my friends looked happy. If I was honest with myself, I couldn't deny what they said about the Vaktaire either. Tarook was gorgeous.
