Light Speed by Arkadie, L. (accelerated reader books .TXT) 📕

universe andI find it frustrating. Together we move past wild trees thatresemble black giants lurking in the lightless forest. I can barelysee what’s before me. I’m relying solely on the Selell’sguidance.

“What is that smell?” I ask my companion. Acaustic odor lingers in the air.

“It’s a lot of things,” he says. I feel hisfingers tighten around my hand.

“What are those things you’re referring to?”I’m curious to know.

Even in the dark I can see his white faceglance down at me. He’s a very tall creature. He lords over me andI feel trapped in his gaze. “Shit and death,” he says. I can see abit of his teeth in the dark. I assume he’s lifted his top lip intothat sinister smile of his.

“Death?” Now I’m intrigued. I’ve never seendeath before. “Dead humans?”

He snorts, amused. “And animals…”

“You sound pleased by that.”

“I do?” He says in an extremely inquisitivetone of voice. Although I sense he is trifling with me.

Then he comes to a sudden stop. He turns toface me and his nose, lips, and eyes are very close to mine.

“You really are innocent, aren’t you?” heasks and then slides the tip of his warm finger across my top lip.“But you don’t look innocent.” He leans closer. His nose grazes mylips. “Or smell innocent.”

Here’s what’s happening to me and I allowmyself to relish in even the tiniest sensation. My throat is tight,head is light, and I’m fighting the desire to touch and tastestongues with him once again.

“Destiny has played the cruelest joke onyou, Ad’ru. Clarity has Ze Feldis. Fawn has Artiste. Glo has Finn.You’ve got me.” He snorts cynically.

Do it… My heart begs, needing him toput his mouth on mine. Yet my head attempts to eradicate thatdesire.

“You are very well-acquainted with mysisters and me, are you not?” I can barely say through my heavybreathing.

“I’m not as acquainted with you as Ithought.”

“As you thought? How could you beacquainted with me at all? You’ve never known me.”

His teeth flash in the dark. It’s a lookthat is so tricky it causes a shiver to run up and down myspine.

“Are you a sinister being?” I’m forced toask, dreading the answer to my question.

“That requires a subjective answer,” heslyly replies.

“Are you always so vague, Selell?” I’mfrustrated so my voice is harsh.

This time he lets out a shrieking laugh thatbounces off the dusky trees. He’s amused by my frustration. But hehas a peculiar sort of amusement. I can’t help but press my handover the place where his body once carried a vital human heart. Thei’lek’u pours out of my palm and flows into him, absorbing all thethoughts and feelings that make this Selell a living being. Becauseof the glare of light, I can fully see his face and he’sterrified.

“No, don’t,” he feebly protests as he triesto pull away from my touch but it’s too late. I’ve latched on andthere’s no breaking the link.

It is so; he is confounded at the moment. Heis struggling to regain full consciousness. But the light revealsthat he wants something from me and I cannot determine what thatis. However, he can’t hide what is strong in him. He’s greatlyinflicted by arrogance, pride, and a deep desire to obtain all thathe lusts for, and that includes me. I quickly remove myhand.

The Selell collapses onto the damp soil,clutching a fistful of the black shirt he’s wearing at the spotwhere my palm once rested against his chest. I kneel down besidehim without allowing my knees to make contact with the corrodedearth.

“What the hell was that,” he roars inanger.

“You’ve been deceitful,” I apologeticallysay, “And I need truth to journey further with you.”

He struggles to stand on his feet whilebrushing the mud off the back of his trousers. “I can’t believe Idon’t want to kill you,” he grumbles.

I’m very shocked to hear that, mainlybecause he says it so casually.

“But do you know what I want to do to youinstead?” He grabs me by the waist and pulls me into him. My noseis pushed up against his collarbone. I can smell his shirt; thescent is fresh and sweet. He presses my hips closer to his and Ican feel something solid against me. He sniffs. “You have no idea,do you?”

The dark, the Selell, and the impure stenchmixed with the sweet order that emanates from him and combines withraw passion makes me want to connect with this creature in such aninordinate way. Is this lust that infects me? In this moment, Idon’t even recognize myself as Ad’ru the keeper of the light. So Iforce my head to stop spinning and my heart to stop fluttering. Iam full of good. He’s touched by evil.

His wicked sneer returns but not for long.He whips his face around to look to the right of me. He’s alarmedand I wonder why. “Kill the light,” he barely whispers.

I direct the i’lek’u back deep inside ofme.

Without asking permission the Selell liftsme off of my feet and cradles me in his arms. “Let’s get the hellout of here,” he says before streaking off.

The persistent darkness annoys me. The sunhasn’t made an appearance since it descended when I first arrivedon Earth. But the scent of the wild trees and rank soil passes, andwithin a very short period of time he’s standing on a sidewalkwhich runs along a street. It’s here, among the rows of stonebuildings with bulging balconies and more street lamps, that theSelell reluctantly sets me back on my feet. We take awhile to pullaway but here’s what I notice: his heart is beating, and fast. OnEarth, a Selell is dead, a being with no heartbeat or moving blood.Other than his brain, his organs have shut down. This is odd, but Ifeel this is not the time to question him about this phenomenon,especially since he takes my hand again and its warmth soothes awaythe cold.

“This way,” he says before taking a step offthe sidewalk, landing one foot onto the cobblestone street.

“Wait!” I shout, now clinging tightly to hisarm.

He’s watching me, puzzled, and I wonderwhy.

“My father warned me to be careful whencrossing modern roads on Earth. Vehicles can be a danger tome.”

At first, the Selell