Fallen + Marli & Lalo (Fallen Invasion, #3) Read Free Page A

iron and stone particles with a touch of shinny crystals?  At least his meteorite gave me the impression that it was made of simply that.  But then it again, he was covered in black soot as were the rock pieces.  Nevertheless, time to give him a bath.
    Wait a minute!  Shouldn’t I take a shower first in case the soot causes a reaction to my skin?  Hmm.  I would most likely need to call into work sick anyway so I’ll wait.  I could take a shower at Kallen’s, but then I would have to tell him about Lalo.  And with Kallen’s theories about aliens it probably wouldn’t be safe for either one of them.
    My thoughts were interrupted by a shift in Lalo’s expression.  His eyes narrowed, and he peaked back toward my bathroom.  Every organ in my chest clamped down to hide.
    So his telepathic ability is real?  Oh yeah.   I had forgotten to protect my thinking, like I knew how to do that.  Another thing I needed to learn, so I wouldn’t cause him to attack me.
    Lalo smiled.  I sharply inhaled.  My eyes were wide awake.  Oh no!  He’s happy that I’m scared!  
    If my bed wasn’t behind me, I would have run when he reached out to rub my arm.  Instead I flinched and found it suddenly hard to breathe.
    “No,” he said, not in a mean way but kind, caring.  Was he an alien of an angelic family?  Did he actually come to help?
    I didn’t get a chance to finish my brainstorm before his hand became an instant burst of frost gently stroking my cheek.  What’s going on?  My tortured breathing became softer and lighter.  The bone breaking tension that filled my body dissipated, and I stopped worrying about Lalo seeing my thoughts.
    For a moment I wasn’t there in my room.  Lalo was nowhere to be found.  I was sitting in the middle of a sunny beach in California.  The sun warmed my skin.  The cool breeze blew as the early morning waves crashed, rolling the water back into the ocean. 
    I enjoyed the peaceful waves for a while until they became threatening. They became so high that they could soak me, or worse, carry me back into the ocean.  The sun blended into the sky, which turned grey. The wind became angry.  And that was when the waves came in too close and too fast for me to get up and run away.
    To make matters worse, I couldn’t even move when I tried.  I tried again; still it was useless.  I was held by a force causing me to be patient and react later.  The waves crashed a few feet short of reaching me, and its water ended up washing my feet. 
    This happened again, preceding a cool breeze of wind that awakened me.  Lalo stopped his fingers from running up and down my skin.
    Did I just have one of the first meaningful contacts with an alien by an ocean metaphor?  Lalo was peaceful, comforting, and beautiful, yet terrifying?  He had the power but didn’t want to hurt me?
    A new idea popped up in my mind.  Or was that what Lalo tried to tell me all along?  Use telepathy to talk to him.
    I imagined a glorious bath full of roses and bubbles with a bottle of champagne on the side.  Lalo didn’t get it.  He continued to study my face.  Right, champagne, roses that’s human stuff.
    I dreamed of a great waterfall that was safe enough to stand close to.  I saw myself running through the water.  His eyes didn’t move.
    How did I previously get him to read my mind?  Ah that was the trick!  I had to be direct.  Or was he playing with me, pretending not to hear me? 
    I took in some air then delicately danced around his side to escort him to the bathroom.  I didn’t know if by touching my cheek, he connected us, but he followed and I had a greater sense of his presence a few steps behind me.
    The light illuminated my bathroom with a flick.  My bathroom was far from luxurious but at least it wasn’t crammed.  The shower head hung over a standard, white tub.  My purple, polka dot curtains, halfway pulled forward, covered part of the side. 
    I reached to my right to open one of my fake