unseen

Sleep wouldn't come to her. She didn't even know why she tried. Swiping her tears away she played with a star as it danced along her arm.

How easy it would be to call Kell to her and let him hold her. Let him take care of all this. She knew that's what he'd want her to do. Knew he could ease her troubled mind in seconds. There wasn't much he wouldn't do for her.

He'd promise to take care of everything, and he would try to. He'd promise to take care of it, and he would mean it, but there is only so much an eighteen-year-old future king could do.

His people were only one person from packing up everything and abandoning them. If that happened the only question would be rather Kell stayed or left.

Thinking her people could handle these new aliens on their own would take a better imagination than hers. All this time they'd been surrounded by aliens and the whole damn planet earth never even knew it. Or if they had they were not telling just anyone.

Any of her people who might have been able to fight them were dead. The government gone. All they had left was her. And if all she had to do to save them is lose everything, then so be it.
It was easy enough to do. The hard part was going to be living with that decision.

"Dez, how many like me are alive?"

"The final count today is two hundred ninety-four thousand and sixty-two. Sixty-six thousand, of which are still outside the gates. Twenty-four thousand two who still refuse to be tested. There are also a good number of many who could still be out there who haven't come forward for help."

"How many do you think?"

"It will take weeks to know of all the survivors and collect them. Perhaps longer with all the uncertainties. All our men and women have been called in until farther noticed so all endeavors have been called to a standstill. We are no longer concern about finding more survivors, we need to protect the survivors we have."

"When did this happen?"

"Today at twelve fifteen. By morning all of our people and all of the humans under our protection should be safe within the cities."

"Except for me." She replied dejectedly.

"You will no longer be under our protection, human Jessalynn."

"Do you think______."

"I am unable to think, human Jessalynn. I answer in probability and facts from intellect fed to me by some of the smartest species available."

"Right. What are the chances of your people leaving earth to go back home?"

"That data changes hourly. With your leaving odds have gone down to eighty-six-point nine percent chance that we will return to Syrian."

"And our chances against this new threat?"

"That answer is unknown. There are too many unknown factors. We do not know their numbers. Their intellect, nor their desires. Our people believe using what data they have, our history with them, our numbers, and our intellect that there is a high success rate."

Kellum believed his people could defeat this new threat so that would be good enough for her.

She laid back on the bed. "When I leave tomorrow do you think it would be better for me to go home or to go to one of the outposts, I heard Kellum talking about?"

"Both will be dangerous. Some of these cities coming together is by some of the worst of you humans. It has become about the survival of the fittest. Human Jessalynn, it would be remiss of me to not tell you that most of the humans who have elected to stay outside the barrier are the most unsavory of people. A few have let fear keep them away. A few because they hold us accountable for what happened. The rest have stayed outside of our walls because they have decided to give up on laws of any kind."

"That is nothing new. There's always been people like that. Mom always said there were two kinds of people. The kind who make good decisions in the face of danger and the kind that don't."

"That is true but even in the world you knew, you lived among the good and sometimes had to deal with the bad. Now it will be the other way around. My advice to you is to keep to yourself as much as possible. Avoid the bigger cities and main highways."

"I'll remember that. I have one more question."

"As you like."

"Will Kellum be okay?"

"That is unknown."

"Will he come for me?"

"Yes, human Jessalynn."

"I hope you're right."

By the time she felt Kellum, morning was fast approaching, and she'd already had several more bouts of crying. Even got pissed off and left a very colorful message for the advisors about how they were all huge yellow belly cowards. Told them what to do with their damn cameras, their meetings, and their little sticks. Cause Lord knows they must be the size of a stick of chewing gum.

Yeah. She'd been too upset to think of anything better.

His love poured from him and bathed her. His smile caused her insides to flipflop.

He looked tired. Drained and weary, but his eyes glowed with a peace that hadn't been there earlier.

Seeing it, feeling it settled down around her almost brought tears back to her eyes. With sheer will, she held them back. "Everything went good then?"

"Horrible. No one can agree on anything."

She hadn't even settled in his arms before his lips were on hers. His kiss was like the sun on her face. His breath was her air, and his arms were everything holding her together.

"Jessalynn." Her name was a purr against her flesh.

"I can remember when once upon a time I hated to hear you say my name that way. It puts all kind of ideas in my head."

When she found herself back in his bed, his lips still nibbling on her neck, she moaned. "Yes. Just like that."

She clung to him, desperate for the love he offered her.

"You amaze me."

Jess touched his cheek. "Or maybe I've put a spell over you." Seeing the shadows under his eyes she kissed each one. "You're not taking care of yourself. That's unacceptable. Take care of yourself, Kell. For me."

"You still do not understand, Jessalynn. You are a part of me, and I am a part of you. The only way for me to be okay is for you to be okay. You hurt, I hurt. You need, I need."

"Tell me more."

"I will be king, and you will be my queen. We will take the best of my world and the best of your world and make a new world." His eyes caressed her. "Our love is not by chance. Us ruling together is written in the stars and was decided long before we existed."

He placed her hand over his mark. "Believe in this, Jessalynn." He kissed her lips. "Believe in this."

Jess reached for the snap over his left shoulder. His eyes full of the emotions that thicken his voice, that seemed to be in the very air around them, he caught her hand and his candora and unwrapped it from his body until it fell to his waist.

"Just as horrible as I remembered." She whispered before placing a kiss to the mark on his chest. Her hands, her eyes caressing him before she laid her head on his chest. Content to lay there and watch for every breath he took, content to listen for every heartbeat.

"I want to stay like this with you until there is no more time left in this world. I wish to be closer. It's never close enough. There are times when I think I won't be able to breathe because you aren't with me. Or because you are with me. So many feelings trapped inside of me that both terrify me and fill me with wonder. I don't want to ever let go."

"You never have to."

She looked at him. "You're not like the others, Kellum. You were never afraid of any of this. You saw what it could be. You saw what it can be. If ever there was a boy, a man, a king who could rule this new world you speak of, it's you. Our people need you to be stronger than even you think you can be. You are the best of your world. The best of my world is our ability to survive. Through pain and loss. Through the end of the world. We do not lay down to die. We fight. Peace is nice but know when to set it aside. Not because you want to, but because you must. Because you face danger, and you make the right choice."

"My queen. I will be able to do this because I will have you at my side."

He looked at her with so much pride that she had to look away. She tucked herself back into his arms.

"Stay the night."

"There's not much night left. Close your eyes, Kellum. Rest."

She watched him sleep as long as she could allow herself to. Was it too much to ask that he would snore or hog the blankets?

Instead, he held her close. Even in sleep not letting her go easily.

Using his gift, she disappeared from his arms to come to stand beside his bed. Allowing herself one last look, then she was standing in the hallway. Only then did she stop to put on her shoes. "Tell them to let him sleep. I don't think I could do this if I see him."

"If it pleases you."

"It was nice... somewhat nice, knowing you. Now take this thing off my hand."

With a soft click her wrist band opened and fell to the floor.

Here on out, timing was everything. At home, she grabbed the backpack she had hidden in the back of her closet then she left a note on her bed. Not a goodbye. She couldn't have managed the words anyway.

She just asked her family to be at the Stage tonight to hear the song she'd been working on. Hopefully, it would be enough to let them know that they would always be in her thoughts.

She couldn't chance checking in on each of them so she left before she could be tempted to.

Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest and Dumbass had unknowingly helped her. Because of them calling everyone home everything was hectic. Family and friends were there to greet people. No one was too worried about the lone boy waiting to leave.

She kept her distance as he was swept pass different checking points. Lee seemed confused about why she was there, and Jess wondered what Sinful had told her to get her here. Macie looked tired and clung to her sister's leg. So far no one questioned their presence.

"Human Jess_____."

"Shhh!" Jess checked around making sure they hadn't caught anyone's attention.

The woman smiled at her. It was still the same smile that she hadn't liked from the beginning. How different a person she'd been the day she arrived here.

"I was sent to see to your farewell. It is with much disappointment that I find you will be leaving us. I wish your new life would have worked out to your satisfaction."

"Just so you know, you weren't much of a new life advisor. Where have you been?"

"Once your level of importance was made known you were given a new life advisor. Kellum. Was he not to your satisfaction?"

"I know Kellum is the future king, and yes, he was a very good life advisor. It just wasn't meant to be."

"Very well. Come right this way."

Walking at her side, no one even stopped to check her as she went through each check point. She was a good distance ahead of Sinful's farewell committee when she saw him. Jess grasped Simmin's hand. "Is it down yet?"

"No. Not until_______."

She started going back the other way. Shaking her head hoping he'd somehow understand but Julian wasn't having any of that. People were starting to notice that he wasn't stopping at any of the check points.

"You can't be here. You have to go."

He didn't have to say it. She saw it in the set of his jaw. Either she was taking him, or he was going to make sure she wasn't going either.

Jess caught his shirt so she could keep him close, then started back in the right direction. "You don't know what you're doing." She whispered so low she wasn't even sure he'd be able to hear her.

"Human Jessalynn, I am unsure why______."

"He's just seeing me off. Keep moving."

"As you like. He must stay within the walls. Only you have clearance."

"I know that." She searched for Sinful and Hayley and found them just inside the wall. She'd gotten too far behind.

Her voice lowered. "You have to go back."

"No. One more word about me leaving and for whatever reason you're doing this, it's going to blow up in your face. Try me"

"Mel_____."

"My place is with you."

Hayley and Sin gave each other the most awkward hug she'd ever seen. "I don't know how I'm going to pull this off. Stay close to Sin, keep a hand on him. Try to get pass that last point. Simmin, is it down?"

Three breaths then a yes. She appeared behind Lee and Macie. The plan had been to remove their wrist bands and put them on Hayden and Mel, buying them some time before anyone knew they were missing. That had become a moot point now. Whatever Julian was doing behind her was ruining her low profile.

In a blink of an eye the three of them were gone.

She didn't have to go back. She allowed herself one second to decide. Damn it to hell, she owed the fool an ass kicking.

Julian and Sinful were both being detain forcibly. They'd been so close to making it. She reached out her hand hoping there wouldn't be a barrier between her and Julian.

God don't let her be too late.

She knew his fear was mirrored in her own eyes.

As soon as their fingers touched, she whisked them to her side. The guards that came at them couldn't come through.

Relief sent her to her knees. Julian collapsed beside her.

"What were you thinking? I was trying to save you."

He was panting. "What were you thinking? I may never forgive you for what you almost did."

"Look, love birds. If we don't get our asses out of here, then it's all going to be for nothing. And where's the damn car you promised?"

"If they keep their word then they can't come after us." Not that she trusted them.

There were a lot of guards looking confused, no one knowing what to do. She gave Simmin a little wave.

"Human Julian, you are_____."

She sent that as far away as she could.

Looking at Julian, she offered her hand.

He took it. "Still mad at you."

"Let's make up when my heart isn't laying in pieces."

He took her into his arms.

"You'll have to take Sin's hand. I can't touch him."

It took her two tries to get back to Hayley and Macie. "What in the hell is going on? And how the hell did you do that?"

"You were right, Hayley. About all of it. We have to get as far away as we can."

The other girl paused. "Are you sure?"

Jess trusted her face was answer enough.

"How the hell did you do that?"

"Save it, Sin. I'm taking these two on ahead then I'll be back. Stay on this road, I'll find you."

When she would have taken Lee's arm, the other girl's worried look stopped her. "I gave us a head start. We just have to________."

"What if she gets sick?"

"We'll worry about that if it happens. We have to try and do something."

After one more jump, she knew she wouldn't be able to go on like this and they were going to need a car.

Kellum was right. Distance. She felt every bit of it between them.