Chasing Cthulhu (Urf Oomons #2)

I have been through a rollercoaster of emotions today. First, I woke up late in a comfortable bed and ate a delicious breakfast. That was nice. Since then I have been harassed, manipulated, tricked, ignored and right now I’m as pissed off as I have ever been in my whole life.

So Lu was just going to leave me here? Really? He tried to camouflage and sneak out like I wouldn’t even know he was there to start with!

I was so relieved when I saw it was him and Mandy in that room.

Sal had made such a big deal when he told Shawn, ‘A valued trade partner is interested in your human—’

‘What?’

‘No!’

Shawn and I both yelled at the same time.

‘I am delighted that you are in agreement. I, too, wish for Gloria to stay with us and do not want to hand her over to these others.’

I have a hard time reading these lizard-alien faces, but Sal looked sneaky. The way his skinny forked tongue kept popping out was weird. It seemed like a nervous tic or a tell. It seemed like he was lying about something. But what? What could be worse than some other aliens wanting to own me?

‘Don’t worry, we’re not selling you,’ Shawn says.

I’m sure he means to be reassuring. But, with my luck, I’m being sold. They’re going to offer too much money, or some bribe or threat and I’m going to be handed over to these new aliens. And then what will happen to me?

It’s not like Shawn has any real power here. What are his promises worth in this situation?

I’ve lucked out so far. Even though I’ve been kidnapped and held against my will, I haven’t been physically hurt. That could change. It for real could. These new aliens could have terrible plans for me.

Why have I been such a god-awful bitch to everyone on this planet? I should have been charming and agreeable and ingratiated myself so that Shawn and Sal would never, ever think to—

‘Hey, I promise we’re not letting anyone else get you.’

Shawn carefully wraps an arm around me and I kind of freeze up. He hasn’t touched me before, and I don’t like it. I hope it doesn’t signal some sort of change in our relationship. So far, he’s been treating me with kid gloves, very careful of my boundaries and my feelings. I’m worried that him hugging me like this will lead to more, and I don’t want that.

I take a deep breath and remind myself to be nice. Ingratiate myself to him. I hug him back. It is a weird, naked hug.

Not for the first time, I wonder what Shawn’s deal is. Does he really think that he owns me? If he thinks that why hasn’t he made any demands? What exactly is his relationship with these lizard-aliens?

So far, Sal seems to cater to Shawn and indulge him no matter what kind of attitude Shawn has about it. While Shawn passes that same treatment on to me. But Shawn wants me, he doesn’t hide that. He can’t hide a lot of his reactions when he’s naked all the time and I can’t blame him for looking and reacting when I’m also naked all the time. But never, not once, has he done a single thing to sexually proposition me.

I’m grateful, but also confused. And relieved. I don’t want Shawn. He’s really attractive, and if I had met him a year ago…maybe.

But I miss Lu. I miss him so much it’s like grieving. I want him following me around everywhere. I want Lu comforting me, not this naked human guy.

I want to be passed on to some other alien even less, though.

Anyway, by the time this meeting happens, I’m all anxious and worked up. Shawn and Sal have both assured me multiple times that I’m staying with them no matter what. But they aren’t exactly trustworthy, are they?

Sal explained that we had to meet with these aliens because they are very important trade partners that he doesn’t want to offend. He’s going to let them see me and hear them out.

As Sal goes through the door, I try to hang back. I hold on to Shawn’s arm and quietly tell him, ‘Let’s run! Let’s just get out of here and comm Mandy, she’ll come get us!’

Shawn just shakes his head and walks into the room pulling me behind him.

And in that room are Mandy and Lu.

I’m just frozen and confused for a moment. These are the traders that are trying to buy me?

More like rescuing me!

That sneaky fucking lizard scared me to death on purpose. He had to know that I wanted to go home.

Just when I realize the truth of things, Lu disappears. Just camouflages completely.

Then, just as Shawn pulls me away from the door, Lu is silently moving through it, his camouflage rapidly shifting. It’s a disorientating blur.

And then he’s gone.

Just what the hell does he think he’s doing? Why come all the way here just to storm out?

What a frickin tool!

I don’t consciously decide to follow him, but I’m shaking off Shawn and turning to stomp through the door without a thought.

I hear raised voices. Mandy, Sal, and Shawn are arguing behind me as I sprint toward the front door.

I get a feeling of déjà vu. This is not my first time running full-tilt down an alien hallway.

I almost run into Lu who is held at the door. Sal has coded locks to make sure his precious humans don’t make a run for it.

‘Hey!’ I try to get his attention. Then I reach out, grab the tentacle nearest to me and yank.

He ignores me.

When Lu can’t open the lock, he just launches himself against the door trying to bust out.

‘Lu!’ I yell at him. ‘Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?’

He finally acknowledges me. Slumping his shoulders, all of his tentacles seem to fall limply around him as his color darkens and takes on a green tint.

I don’t remember seeing green before. What does it mean?

‘Gloria.’

That’s all he says, just my name.

‘Lu,’ I answer him back in the same flat tone.

‘I would like to leave. Do you know the code—’

‘No,’ I interrupt him. ‘I don’t know the code. Because I’m a prisoner here.’

He startles, his eyes widening like this is news.

‘I thought you had come here to rescue me. Because you care about me, and you miss me.’ I wave a hand at the door. ‘But obviously you don’t. I’m sure Sal will let you out.’

I turn and walk away from him because what the hell am I doing chasing this alien around again? He avoids me, runs away from me, and I just keep going after him. Why should I have to keep convincing him—?

A tentacle snakes around my calf, and I lose my balance a bit. But another wraps around my naked waist to steady me.

‘I did,’ he says earnestly, more tentacles winding around my other leg and my arms. ‘I came to rescue you because I do miss you.’

‘Then why—’

‘Salhuteck told us that you wanted to stay here, that you did not wish to live with us anymore. He convinced Mandy, but I would not believe it.’ He is purring soothingly and combing one hand’s claws through my hair. ‘Then I see you paired up with that male. Naked and hanging on him. Willingly touching him…’

I pet the tentacle circling my waist, soothing him. ‘You thought I’d picked him.’

I hear his click, the sound that translates to an agreement. Then he’s rubbing his cheek against mine, his purr rumbling through my whole body.

How did I go from arguing with him to snuggling him? It’s nice, though.

‘Give her back!’

I have to twist around in Lu’s hold to see Shawn stomping toward us, clearly furious. Before I can respond, Lu has transferred me, no longer holding me in front of him. I’m tucked protectively behind him. I peek around his shoulder to see Sal come skittering down the hallway, his clawed feet scratching grooves into the floor as he slides to a stop behind Shawn.

They are both looking kind of terrified.

I glance up at Lu’s face and see why. His coloring has changed dramatically. Bright, blood-red darted with black stripes. And his face— I thought he had just two fangs, but now I see that he has eight dagger-sharp fangs bared as he rises to tower over Shawn and Sal like the horrifying monster he’s named for.

Then Lu lets out this awful roar. It’s really loud and angry. Terrifying. Sal and Shawn cower, crouching and covering their ears.

There’s an eeep a little way down the hall and I see Mandy peeking around the corner, wide-eyed.

‘She is not yours!’ He snarls at them, ‘Do not even look at her!’

They aren’t. Their eyes are down, not daring to confront—

‘AND OPEN THIS BLASTED DOOR!’

Sal scurries to respond, giving wide birth, hugging the wall as he moves around us to press one clawed digit to the sensor on the lock. Keeping his gaze glued to the floor the whole time.

There is a subtle beep and then the door swings open.

Lu looks from Sal to Shawn, snarls again, and then we move out of there so fast my hair is blown back.

Before I know it, we’re in a Homeworlder shuttle and Lu is prepping to launch.

As the door lowers, I see Mandy scamper out of Salhuteck’s house, her loose curls a riot blowing around her head as she’s yelling something over her shoulder at the two shocked men now standing in the doorway. Lu has the shuttle door open again so she can hop in.

She runs to the back of the shuttle and grabs hold of the rail because we’re already lifting off.

She smiles brightly at us and says, ‘That went well!’