Deceit (The Stellar Series Book 1) Read online

  “Sit back, Alexa.” Jax opens a compartment in the center of the dashboard and punches a few numbers on the green glowing keypad. As soon as he hits Enter, my whole body slams back into the seat. I grip the handle more firmly and watch out the window as my street and house get smaller and smaller until they’re the size of a speck of sand. The starship is taking us straight up at a dizzying speed. We quickly enter and emerge above fluffy white clouds.

  My mouth drops open as the floor beneath me transforms from a metal floor into a window that stretches from one end of the car to the other. A vast, open blackness envelops us as I watch the white fluffy clouds disappear.

  When I peer down below me, I see Earth, the way it’s depicted in my textbooks from school. It’s simply beautiful, a perfect combination of green and blue. Excitement grips the pit of my stomach, as if I’m on a crazy roller coaster ride. What’s going to happen next? I take a peek over at Jax and he appears cool, calm, and collected.

  He swings his gaze back to me and winks. “Are you impressed by this ‘typical car’ yet?” He grins when I work my mouth, but no sound comes out. How can I possibly answer him when what I’m seeing has left me awestruck?

  “Get ready, we’re taking off.” Jax enters more numbers on the green pad in front of him.

  “But aren’t we already flying?” I manage.

  “We only went up, now we must move forward. Make sure you hold on tight.”

  I don’t second-guess Jax this time. I grab onto the sides of the seat and brace myself for forward movement.

  Loud noises from the engine warn me that at any moment we will be moving. I press my head back into the seat. Averting my eyes, I take one last glance out the window at Earth. I wonder if I’ll ever be coming back—part of me also wonders if I’d ever want to come back.

  My thoughts are disrupted when my body is thrust back into my seat. Neon lights blur past us. I close my eyes and focus on the task at hand.

  Finding my mom.

  Chapter Six

  “Alexa, are you all right? You’ve been really quiet since takeoff.”

  I can hear Jax talking to me, but I really can’t think about answering him. My mind is too busy racing through all of the recent events. Part of me feels crazy for even entertaining the idea that this isn’t a dream. I wish I could talk to Sheri and tell her about this bizarre mess I’m in. She most likely wouldn’t believe me.

  “Alexa?”

  “I’m okay,” I answer, hoping he will let me have some quiet time.

  I myself am having a hard time believing this is real. I hope Michael isn’t mad at me. I truly wanted to go to the dance with him. I just wanted to go to the mall with my mom and shop for a dress, as normal teenagers do. Now I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again. That thought alone churns my stomach and bile builds in my throat.

  “I don’t know why, Alexa, but I don’t believe you,” Jax says, shooting me a wry glance.

  “I’m fine. I’m just wondering when I’ll wake up from this nightmare.”

  “I know this is hard to believe, but once you get there and are integrated, it will all start to make sense. I promise. I know you have no reason to trust me, but you should.” He smiles and it almost makes me feel better. But it doesn’t.

  “Just tell me, Jax—tell me something about this place that I supposedly belong to, please,” I quietly plead.

  “Sure, ask me a question and I’ll answer it.”

  “Well, if I’m from Pumalia, why haven’t I always lived there?”

  “Well, when a Pumalian conceives a child with another extraterrestrial from another planet, the child must live on Earth, a neutral place, until he or she turns seventeen years old.” I can’t help realizing that if this is true, I have two parents, not just one, who are aliens. I think I’m losing my mind—the longer we fly through space, the more I think this could really be happening.

  “Are you telling me that my so-called parents are from different planets?” I ask, stupefied by this revelation.

  “Yes, much like the Milky Way galaxy, where Earth is found, Pumalia is in our own galaxy, Magna, along with a number of other planets.”

  “Why have I never heard of the Magna galaxy?” I ask.

  Jax gazes over at me and smiles. “Magna is fifty-seven billion light years away from Earth. Earth is still relatively new, and the technology needed to see or to travel that distance has not yet been created.”

  I’m quiet for a few minutes, pretending to focus on the instruments in front of me. Maybe if I pretend I’m busy, he won’t ask me if I’m okay.

  I glance back over to Jax. “How much longer until we arrive?”

  “We should be there in about six hours,” Jax responds confidently.

  Cool tears pool in my eyes. I’m so confused and scared. I turn my head and my body so I’m positioned away from Jax. I don’t want him to see me upset. This is going to be the longest six hours of my life.

  I pull my legs to my chest and recline my seat. “I’m going to sleep. Wake me when we get there.” Even if I don’t fall asleep, I can pretend. Anything so I don’t have to talk about this crazy situation. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. My mind and body give in to my need for rest.

  “Alexa, we will be landing soon.” I open my eyes and quickly study my surroundings outside the window.

  It’s just like my dreams. Honeydew-green trees stand high around us. I gaze up through the sunroof to see a magenta sky with three glowing moons. “This place is real,” I whisper. The sick feeling within my stomach grows. I’m not dreaming after all.

  Right before we land, Jax warns me that people will gape at me because I’m clearly new to Pumalia. He’s right. As soon as I disembark the starship, I’m instantly aware of all the eyes watching me. This is no different than Mandy and her crew in the hallways at school. Apparently, the high school mentality is everywhere. I don’t know why they’re staring at me. What makes me stand out as different?

  “What are they gawking at, Jax?” I hiss, furiously tugging my sweatshirt hood up and lowering my head as I wait for a response.

  “They just want to see who you are. It isn’t bad. Relax and just keep walking.” His voice sounds impatient. Of course, I can’t tell if he’s mad at me or just irritated at the situation.

  The path through the city comes to an abrupt halt in front of a set of massive doors set in a stone wall at least five stories high. Jax steps up to the wall beside the doors and does something with his hand. I can’t see exactly what he’s doing from where I’m standing, but it seems to be a lot of elaborate hand movements. He backs away from the wall and the enormous doors slowly creak open.

  “Come on, this is where Elena is.” Jax leads the way through the open doors, following another walkway that takes us to a sprawling white house. I count the rows of giant windows—there are ten floors. Some of the windows have bars on them, making the house resemble a prison. A chill shivers through my body as we approach the door on a path bordered with giant green bushes bearing orange flower blossoms the size of my head. Two guards in white uniforms stand watch at the front door. The uniforms have the same insignia on the breasts as the one on the starship we flew here in.

  This place has never been in my dreams. I would remember this compound. The only familiar thing besides Jax is the magenta skyline, the honeydew trees, and the three aligned moons.

  The suspense is killing me. “Where is she? I want to see her now. And then I want to see who runs this place, and I want some answers.”

  Jax grits his teeth but says nothing in reply to my demands.

  We enter through the front door and follow an unadorned hallway to a large room. “Is she here, Jax?” The decor in the room is simple. They really take the saying “less is more” seriously.

  “Yes.” I can tell he’s holding something back. Maybe he isn’t sure. Maybe he has no idea if she’s here or not. I want to press him for more information, but part of me fears I won’t like the answer.

  We pa
ss through that room and enter a huge room—almost a hall—with a long table and plenty of chairs around it. The white walls are adorned with candle sconces and a few pieces of abstract art. The windows are floor to ceiling and the view is spectacular. I turn to appreciate rolling hills that undulate to the horizon, then whirl back as the far wall separates, the two halves sliding aside to allow a line of men to march in. They resemble the guards, but they’re carrying weapons and wearing white masks. I quickly close the distance to Jax. He doesn’t flinch one bit, which relieves me.

  After the last white-clad figure has entered, a white-haired man dressed all in black emerges. His flat, black eyes meet mine and instantly I freeze in place. I want my mother—where is she?

  His voice is as disturbing as his appearance. “Take her to the dungeon.”

  Who is he talking about? It can’t be me. I’ve come here to see my mother.

  Jax steps in front of me and at that point, I realize it’s me they’ve come for. I grab his jacket and hold it tight, burying my face in the material. This has to be a nightmare!

  “Maddox, what do you think you’re doing?” Jax isn’t faking it—his voice is quavering and his tense body provides proof that he isn’t part of this plan.

  “She needs to be locked up for her safety—and ours. She is putting us all in danger by being here.”

  Locked up? Danger? Maddox must be speaking in some sort of code, because I’ve no idea what he means. How could I be dangerous to anyone?

  “Why did we bring her here, then?” Jax demands in a booming voice. “Why was her guardian, Elena, taken prematurely? Why are we both in the dark still? What haven’t you told me?” His whole body convulses with anger as I hide behind him. It’s apparent he really doesn’t know what’s happening.

  “Jax, this isn’t the time to question my authority,” Maddox warns. Glancing to the right, he nods at the guards. They start toward me like a swarm of white wasps. My jaw drops.

  Jax puts his hand up and they stop. I’m so confused! Who is in charge here? “Stay where you are, men. I’ll take her.” His last sentence echoes through my body, leaving me in shock. I nervously tremble as the color drains from my already pale face. The hair around my face clings to the sweat accumulating on my forehead.

  He spins around and grabs my hands before I fall. I can see his mouth moving, but I can’t hear anything. It’s as if he’s on mute. Oh, no, I’m going down again! My heartbeat quickens, the thumping echoing in my ears. As my legs buckle, Jax catches me. The last thing I remember is Jax’s strong arm cradling my head.

  I just want to wake up from this horrible nightmare.

  “Alexa, Alexa, it’s time to wake up.” A gentle, unfamiliar voice is calling my name.

  I blink my eyes a few times, hoping to see the inside of my bedroom. “Where am I? What happened?” I can hear someone shuffling around beside me. The smell of rubbing alcohol irritates my nose as I try desperately to keep my eyes open. My head is pounding as if someone took a hammer to it.

  I slowly shift my gaze to the side and see a woman with long, red hair and porcelain-pale skin. I blink a few more times and notice that her white dress bears the same insignia on the chest as the emblem on the starship. I try to raise my head, but it’s so very heavy, and the hammering increases to the point where the pain is debilitating.

  “Just lie still, Alexa. You’ll be just fine. You fainted and hit your head on the floor. You have a small wound, but it isn’t too deep. I’ve cleaned and bandaged it.” Her voice is soft and kind.

  I try to move my hands, but they won’t move. Panic slinks over me when I notice that they’re fastened to the bed with chains, like handcuffs. “Alexa, calm down. You don’t want to have another fainting episode. The doctor did give you a mild sedative to help you cope with the situation.”

  I take a few deep breaths, trying to fathom what she’s saying, what it all means. “Where is Jax?”

  She combs my hair back from my face with her hand and lays a cold compress on my forehead. Her smile is sympathetic and in some ways familiar.

  “He’ll be back to check on you again later. He was here most of the night, but you never woke up.” She seems nice enough, but why am I chained to the bed?

  “Why are these on my wrists?” I hold up my hands as far as I can, and she quickly glances away.

  “Maddox said you’re dangerous and not to be trusted.” She must have seen the surprised look on my face, because before I can say anything, she quickly adds, “Don’t worry, Alexa. I think he may be confused, or perhaps there has been a miscommunication along the way. You don’t seem one bit dangerous to me. Jax is working to resolve the matter as we speak.”

  I wish her words comforted me, but they don’t. The room is dark and dismal. The air smells of mildew, as if an ominous cloud of it is suspended over me and clinging to my body. When I exhale, the air sticks to my lungs. I just need some clean, fresh air. I close my eyes and hope that when I open them, I’ll be at home with Michael, on our way to the dance.

  Unfortunately, all I can see when I open my eyes are cranberry-colored, velvet curtains hanging from the windows next to my bed. They dangle there, taunting me, swaying slightly whenever the woman moves.

  Meanwhile, I remain chained to the bed.

  “Um, is there any way you can open the window? It’s so dark and stuffy in here. I need some fresh air. I’m feeling claustrophobic.”

  She doesn’t hesitate at my request. She jumps up and moves the curtain aside. Dust billows into the air as she cranks open the window. The fresh air pours in, allowing me to breathe easily. I can’t tell if it’s morning or afternoon, but at least the natural light and air clears the musty smell from my nose.

  “Thank you. What’s your name?”

  She turns around and takes a few steps closer to the bed. “My name is Gabriella, but you can call me Gabby. Would you like something to eat or drink?” Her large, green eyes are warm, and looking into them makes me less frightened.

  I don’t want her to leave me here to fulfill any request, but my mouth is dry. “I’m okay. A little thirsty, but—”

  Before I can finish, she’s off to the other side of the room. She pours me a cup of water from a crystal pitcher on a counter in the corner of the room, returns, and holds the glass to my mouth, tilting it so I can take a sip.

  The water tastes delicious. I must have been really thirsty, because I immediately begin to feel more like myself. The metal taste in my mouth, which I’m sure is blood, subsides, and I’m clearly on the mend.

  “Thanks, Gabby.”

  “Of course, sweetie. Anything else I can get for you?”

  Why is she being so nice to me? “How old are you?” I can tell by the pause and the look she gives me that my question surprises her.

  “Earth age?” Her question catches me off guard. Is aging different here? She doesn’t wait for me to answer. I think my dumbfounded expression is answer enough. “I’m twenty-two years old.” She smiles and busies herself with tidying the blankets on the bed. Quickly, she adds, “I think you should nap if you can. The trip was exhausting, and I’ve a feeling it’s not over yet.”

  I have to ask her one more question, even though the need for rest has begun to plague me. My question sounds barely audible. “Are you from here?”

  “Wow, Jax was right. You’re an inquisitive one.” It takes her a few minutes to answer. “No, I’m not from here. I grew up on Earth, actually. I lived my first seventeen years in California.”

  So she is like me. I’ve so many questions for her, but my eyelids are growing heavier and heavier.

  “Do you know where my mother is?” Why am I so tired? Did they give me another sedative? My lids start to shut and I know that once I succumb to the darkness, I’ll no longer be able to see her or hear her answer. I can’t explain the sensation pulsing through my body, but I know I only have a few moments before I fall asleep against my will. “Please, Gabby, tell me where she is.” I blink multiple times, trying to prolong
my descent into my muddled dream world.

  “Rest, Alexa, you need it. When you wake up, I promise you’ll have more answers.” Her smile is the last thing I see before I drift off into a deep slumber.

  Chapter Seven

  Prying my eyes open is extremely difficult. Willing them to open isn’t enough. The muscles around them work hard, but the lids seem to be stuck together, as if someone applied a strong adhesive glue. After many attempts, I’m finally able to open my right one. When I do, I see his beautiful blue pools staring back at me. I blink again and I’m able to free myself from this fitful sleep.

  Yes, I confirm that Jax isn’t only here next to me, but he’s gawking. I can’t help but be pleased with this. Even though I’m furious, deep down I know I can’t stay mad at this face. I take a minute to enjoy the sight of his beautiful olive skin, muscular body, and blond Adonis hair. I need to move past his Zeus like qualities and remember that he let them lock me up. He even delivered me to them.

  “Alexa, are you awake?” He sits on the edge of his chair, anticipating my obvious answer.

  “No, I’m still sleeping, can’t you tell?” I can’t help but snap at him. He took me from my home with false hope that I would reunite with my mother. He never once said I would be locked up for absolutely no reason.

  “I know you’re mad at me, and you have every right to be. But I honestly had no idea that this was going to happen. I’m sorry, truly I am.”

  I panic slightly because I’m not sure why I believe his apology so quickly. I really don’t want to let him off the hook that easily.

  “Well, I’m mad. Take me to my mother—now,” I bark unapologetically. I can tell by the way he sits back in his chair and lets out a loud sigh that it’s probably not going to happen.

  I avert my attention and stare down at my wrists and notice they’re no longer bound. Maybe this is good news; everything was most likely a misunderstanding. Thank goodness I’m a forgiving person and can forget this brief incarceration.