Page 36 of The Space Traveller's Lover
“You’ll be as free as a Rom-Ghenshar space traveller,” he promises in a solemn tone.
“What about my memories and my emotions? Will I ever forget my past?”
Rothwen keeps staring at her, narrowing his eyes as he mulls over his answer. Then, softly caressing her forehead, he whispers, “Not for now. But as much as I like the way you are, you’ll have to make this decision as well … eventually.”
She slowly slides her hands over his eyes, down his nose, and across his partly opened mouth. At this moment, she cannot think why she would possibly consider running away or forgetting him, ever. “Yes, I’ve been thinking a lot about you, Rothwen. But I’m not sure if all these feelings are mine or … made up by you.”
“It’s all coming from you.” Rothwen’s face muscles tighten as he speaks in a tense, single-minded tone. “What would I gain by making this up? I’d certainly be making a fool of myself.”
Shaillah’s whole body shudders. She can discern the truth in the intensity of his words. His lingering gaze, filled with raw devouring passion, wins her over as she feels all her defence barriers crumbling down, one by one.
“Shaillah, all I can say to you now is this—this magnetic attraction binding us together is so strong that I can’t fight it. It goes against my will, and I know it controls yours. So why fight it? Why discard it? Let’s welcome it now, if it’s so amazing.”
She throws her head back in abandonment as he runs his kisses up her neck while she mumbles in a fake protest, “No, No, Rothwen.”
He wildly runs his hands over her body, pulling off all her clothes, her pieces of jewellery clinking on the floor. In no time, all their garments end up floating on the pool while their boots sink to the bottom.
They slide down the balcony’s inner wall, dropping on the marble floor. Barely noticing the hard, cold surface, she lies on her back as he matches her body form. Rubbing her hands over his chest, all she wants is to surrender as he rolls her up in his arms.Again, he is right. Why fight it if it’s so amazing?she thinks while running her fingers down Rothwen’s spine as he draws her in even closer. Pupils against pupils, they keep kissing,relishing in each other’s breath. It feels unstoppable and all-consuming, so enthralling in ways that words could never describe.
The resplendent moonlight shines over the balcony, bathing the room in a serene golden glow. Still, for them, everything around magically disappears while they make love, all throughout the long night.
PARTIII
CHAPTER 16
THE VISITOR
You want to know the truth of what happened,
my friend. I will show you.
Sam is sitting at the centre of the small room, his arms spread alongside the table. He’s staring aimlessly at the opposite wall while his thoughts are wandering from scene to scene far back through the years since he first met Erin. It’s been a month since he was rescued, a long, tortuous month of despair and regret but, most of all, of stiff determination to stick by his story.
The memories of her beautiful smile bring him comfort and joy. He soon turns sombre, though, at the realisation that he is now being accused, not only of having caused her disappearance but also, worse still, of her death. He buries his head into his hands; the thought of being found guilty is too much for his tortured mind to take in.
He hears the door open behind him, but he hardly moves. Sam knows who’s entering the room. He knows the man who has questioned him endlessly, and now he’s prepared to face him again, on the eve of his last day in court. He knows he will be giving his defence lawyer the same answers, no matter how incredible, to the same questions, no matter how unusual.
The story of Erin’s disappearance and Sam’s unwavering explanation of the alien abduction has seized the public’s imagination. Conspiracy theoriesabound about the ARA’s cover-ups and denials at the growing reports of even more UFO (Unidentified Flying Objects) sightings. Everyone is feeling nervous and suspicious.
World-renowned Jack Wray is an exceptional defence lawyer and private detective. He has managed to unmask even the most elusive fraudsters throughout his extensive career, dispelling the most unravelling mysteries and conspiracies, however challenging. Brimming with confidence, he has always come out on top of tricky situations; he would stop at nothing to achieve his goal; the more complicated the case, the more obscure, the more intriguing, the better for him.
That’s why he didn’t hesitate to contact the Sheppard family to offer his services. When the news spread all over the world’s media with headlines such as “Innocent Girl Gone: Murdered by Monster or Abducted by Aliens?” and “Where is Erin Lobart? Mystery Baffles Islanders. Suspect Named”, he knew he was the right man for the job.
All over the world, the media showed photos of Erin’s demure figure, contrasting with the distant moody expression of Sam’s serious face. Everyone had already reached the most apparent conclusion—without a doubt, he had murdered her; justice must be done!
Wray calmly sits down opposite Sam and carefully places his small suitcase by his side on the floor while slipping his thick sunglasses over his bald head. He focuses his sharp dark brown eyes on a disgruntled Sam while clearing his throat to attract his attention.
Sam finally lifts his face from within his hands with a glare of infinite resignation, as if he has given into whatever destiny might bring.
“I will go straight to the point, Sam,” Wray announces in a defeatist tone. “It doesn’t look good.”
Sam nods slightly, looking down in a daze.
“The evidence presented by the prosecutor is so damaging, for the first time in my forty-year career, I find myself with the most unimaginable prospect of a defeat.” Wray tightly presses his lips in frustration, waiting for Sam to respond.
“You shouldn’t have taken on this case in the first place. Why did you?” Sam retorted despondently, still looking down onto the floor.
“First, I was intrigued. Then the contradictions lured me. But after I spoke to you, I was convinced that I could help you because—”
