The Archaeological Chronicles - The New World

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Mari

I am in pain.

Not the pain I felt when those weird-ass aliens literally tried to eat me alive, no, this was different.

This pain was inside of me. Stuck in my chest.

My muscles are sore. I am even sorer between my legs. I shut my eyes harder, just thinking about what he did to me.

How could he?

Another ripple of pain in my chest makes me groan out loud. I never wanted to open my eyes again, not until I was back home.

Away from this. Away from him. Pretending that this never happened.

The pain spread inside of me like a wildfire in dry grass. I was on fire.

How could he?

I can’t suppress the sob that leaves my mouth. Refusing to open my eyes. I knew where I was. And it was not the place I wanted to be.

The more my memories came back, the livid memories that I wish I could forget, every piece fitting together.

I clutch my chest. This was too painful. He repeated his actions so many times. The spot he kept biting down on, had a small mark on it.

I could feel it with the brush of my fingertips.

How could he?

Another choked sob leaves my mouth, body trembling. The pain was unbearable. Was this how it felt like? Was this how it felt like to be betrayed? To be raped? By a man that I had started to trust.

To like.

The trembling in my body was unavoidable. I’m done trying to hide my feelings from them. This is too much.

I don’t think I can withhold the storm brewing inside of me.

I’m in so much pain. My brain is numb. I can’t think clearly. The only thing repeating in my mind is; how could he?

I clutch my head in my hands. Trying to rid myself of the memories. The absolute worst part, the most humiliating part, is that it never hurt. Not even once.

I’m ashamed to say that I actually felt pleasure from it.

How can I live with myself now?

How am I supposed to go on with my life knowing that if I ever tell anyone that I was raped by an alien, I would be labelled as one of those loonies who think they got probed.

Even so, I can’t afford it. My life, my entire career, I won’t risk it. I’m going to bury this so deep inside that I forget that it even occurred.

How could he?

A gentle hand is placed on the top of my head. I flinch away, immediately. Weirdly enough, I could feel that this hand did not belong to Kai’ine.

I open my eyes, just barely. Zuuri is seated beside the bed. Eyes so white that they are nearly transparent. He looks like he ran through hell and back.

A broken smile on his mouth, when he sees me look at him.

‘’I tried to heal you,’’ he chokes out. ‘’I tried my best, but it was not enough. I could not save you in the end,’’ he says in a trembling voice.

The hand on the top of my head was shaking. He was grieving.

For me?

‘’Save me?’’ I whisper.

He nod gently, his smile faltering a little.

‘’The bites. Poisonous. The only way to save you was… was…,’’ he looks away.

He wasn’t ready to face the truth himself, just like me.

’’How can that save me?’’ I whimper.

‘’It didn’t feel like he was saving me. I wish I died,’’ I cry out.

His expressionless face falls completely. Odd wrinkles appear on his face, morphing into sadness.

‘’Please do not say that,’’ he whispers. ‘’Kai’ine told you that you were genetic matches, right?’’ he murmurs.

I nod in response.

‘’That bond. The invisible bond. If he marked you through mating, his DNA would pour into yours. The DNA would repair your broken cells and muscle tissue. He saved you alright, but he also got selfish on the way,’’ he explains.

I close my eyes briefly, reminded of the horrors I experienced. I’m not even sure how long ago it was. It feels like a dream, and at the same time a horrible nightmare that I just lived through.

Tears fall from my eyes. Zuuri won’t remove his gaze from me. Afraid that I would fall apart underneath him.

I think I would, too, if he didn’t stay with me the entire night. Just sitting there. Being there.

Kai’ine never came. I wish I never see him again.

How could he?

I fall in and out of sleep throughout the night. Waking regularly, screaming. The nightmares got out of hand. Zuuri had to hold me down at some point, I think.

I think I heard him cry as well.

It wasn’t how humans cried, that’s for sure. But it sounded like a cry to me.

When I finally woke up and felt more like myself, in a broken kind of way. The pieces of me lay scattered in the hands of Kai’ine.

I had to pick them up.

‘’Zuuri,’’ I call in a whisper.

Zuki appears in front of me, kneeling beside the bed. Taking my hands in her very big ones. Her skin was cold and not warm like Kai’ine. I liked it.

‘’I had to send him off to get some rest. I am sorry. I will stay with you,’’ she assured, never breaking eye contact.

‘’I just want my phone and headphones,’’ I whisper.

She nods quickly, starting to rise. I hold her back.

‘’I want to be alone, but I’m scared that Kaine will come,’’

Just saying his name brought fresh tears to my eyes.

Her eyes flashed momentarily white. Saddened.

‘’He will not, little human. I will keep him out,’’ she promises as she leaves to get my request.

She returns within the minute, handing me my things.

I hurriedly place the headphones over my head, turning the music up loud. Escape from this world. As fast as possible. The best way was to tune it out and shut my eyes.

Whenever I closed my eyes, I was met with his. If I opened them, I was terrified that he would stand there.

Watching me. Taunting me.

My body starts shivering violently. I knew it was only a matter of time before it came. I start hyperventilating, clutching my chest. Clawing at my thighs. Trying to release the pain, the roaring inside of me. The wildfire. I cry out a silent cry. Gasping for air after.

Images of what happened between us came in flashes. When I looked down at my body, I was visible marks after what had happened.

He had taken my body. He has taken my soul. He tears my mind apart.

There is no escape.

I know what this marks have to mean. I’m not stupid. I’m connected to this monster for the rest of my life. My only escape from him is death.

A violent shake of desperation hits me with full force. Making me cry out in surprise.

This feeling was not my own!

I hear a roar outside of the room. Commotion.

I refuse to remove my headphones, not ready to face this terrifying world just yet. The door is ripped open, and I do not dare to turn and look who it is.

I already know.

Zuki is yelling at her brother in their mother tongue. He doesn’t respond. I never heard his steps, but I could feel them.

What has he done to me?

I feel his presence. So close. His breath fanning my face. He’s kneeling in front of me. I refuse to open my eyes.

He won’t get the pleasure of seeing me break into a million pieces.

I shut my eyes harder as I try and only focus to the music playing through the headphones.

’Cause everybody’s on drugs

It’s hard to believe, the American dream is a killing machine

We’re all falling in love with a new disease

If it’s killing you, then it’s murdering me

It’s all getting so unbelievable

We’re having so much fun, staring down a loaded gun

And you don’t see that it’s killing you

’Cause everybody’s on drugs

I listen to the lyrics as if it was the only thing that mattered in this world. The only thing that existed.

Save yourself is what I’m telling you

’Cause nobody else really has a clue

Into your veins, vein, like heroin

Accept the pain, pain, just to feel again

And for a moment there. A very short one. I believed that the song currently playing was the only thing that existed in this world.

Until Kai’ine touched me.

I screamed like a banshee.

He took hold of my hands, gently, with one hand.

I rip my eyes open to come face to face with my worst nightmare. I felt naked. I was naked, too.

He quickly grabbed the back of my head before I willingly slammed it into the headboard.

‘’Mari,’’ he says, so quietly, so gently. Even over the loud music, I heard him.

Wait, he never moved his lips. He also pronounced my name correctly.

My struggles stop completely, just staring at his transparent eyes. Hypnotized.

‘’You need to come back,’’ he says, clearer.

Come back? Back from where? Confusion clouds my mind. Is this another trick?

He guides my palms to lay flat on his warm, blue chest. I could feel his heart. Hear it, even.

Never removing the headphones with blaring music.

Tears form in my eyes. Shake my head. No. He stole my free will. Stole my will to choose. He stole my body.

He blinks once, painfully slow. ‘’Mari,’’ he repeats. Never moving his lips. ‘’You are alive. Breathing. Don’t punish your body and mind for my actions,’’ he says, clear voice.

Transparent eyes. Expressionless. He’s in my head. He’s steeling my thoughts from me too!

Before I ready myself to scream as loud as I can for Zuuri, our foreheads meet in a rush. I know what he wants to happen. I won’t let it. I struggle wildly.

I pass out before I even manage to utter a single word.