Alien Bride

The emperor’s voice lowers. “Keep speaking.”

“Resnyx mutates into other matter in higher temperatures. A quick transformation. Here, the suns scorch the land. It is wise to wait until a cooler day. A storm is set to break on the horizon of—”

As expected, the emperor tunes me out. “Seventy-two hours.”

“Sir?” I ask.

“That’s how much time you have until I blow Planet Ferän out of the cosmos,” he shouts. “Do you understand?”

I nod and salute. “Yes, sir. Glory to the Empire.”

The video hologram shuts off, shifting back to the image of Earth’s blue waters. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

“It’s settled,” I declare. “We will leave tonight.”

If we pull this off, we’ll be the most powerful alphas in the universe.

Two

Emma

Planet: Earth

As I walk into the Daily Star, I wave and smile to the receptionist. She buzzes me inside. “Welcome back, Emma Pierson,” she says.

I make a face and groan. “Another Monday,” I say.

She leans back in her brand new swivel chair and laughs. “Hardest day of the week,” she says.

Yep. Just like the other five days of the workweek.

I step into the elevator, hit the button to the sixth floor, and purse my lips together. “Let’s hope nothing crazy happens today. I don’t think I can take any more breaking news,” I say.

She laughs. “I doubt we’ll see any beast-men running around the city, so I think you’re off the hook,” she says.

I giggle, but her comment doesn’t bring me any joy. I’ve been working for this tabloid paper for two years, and I absolutely hate it.

My co-workers hate it. My editor hates it. Hell, I’m pretty sure my boss hates the paper, too. But money is money, and once you get locked into something, it’s hard to get out.

It’s completely embarrassing.

When the door closes, I bend and roll my forehead against the mirror. “It’s going to be okay. Your contract expires in one year. Once that’s up, you can move on to bigger and better things.”

That’s the dream, right? There are only so many alien UFO articles I can dish out to the public before I start believing in them myself.

I am not conspiratorial. Aliens do not exist. Monsters and beasts do not exist. And this Planet Avalon NASA has discovered probably doesn’t mean jack shit.

Our days on Earth won’t change.

The elevator door opens to the stale light of our office. The bells alert the office of my presence, but I keep my head down to avoid any unnecessary conversations.

Today, I just want to get my work done and go home. But my editor-in-chief, Ryan Bulligard waits near the door. This is going to be a longer day than expected.

His eyes beam. “Emma, you’re just the person I’ve been looking for,” he says.

I sigh and bend my head, smiling dully. “Shit. The Avalon article. Right. It’s not quite finished,” I say, darting to his left.

My office is just ten steps away. Maybe if I jump, I can cut that down to five.