Solaria Series: Solaria Part 34

"I sure will," she replied and swallowed the saliva that had suddenly flooded her mouth. Fidgeting in her seat, she could feel a tingling starting to build between her thighs and clamped her knees together.

The attendant noticed the slight movement and grinned.

"I see you're a quick learner," she murmured and then winked. "When the captain says it's alright to unfasten the belts, I'll be back to give you a tour of the First Cla.s.s restrooms. I'm sure you'll find it very interesting. Now, I need to check on the rest of the pa.s.sengers. Bye for now."

Jain wished she could run to the bathroom now. If she was as wet as she felt, she'd need to dry herself quickly before her clothes became saturated.

Suddenly an alarm sounded and she jerked. Blinking her eyes, she stared groggily at the phone clutched in her hand and the clock on her nightstand.

"c.r.a.p!" she muttered in disgust. "Another good dream gone to h.e.l.l." Sighing, she shook her head and picked up the phone book. "Well, maybe it was a premonition. Guess I'll find out."

After finding the number she wanted, she dialed it and then waited patiently for someone on the other end to answer.

"British Airways. Can I help you?" a woman asked.

"Yes. I need to book a flight to the Middle East."

EPILOGUE.

IF SHE HAD been standing outside her door, Jain's neighbor, Tilly, would have been surprised to see the tall, teal-eyed woman morphing into someone else. Walking to the car parked beside the curb, Betta pulled off a silver wig and climbed in the pa.s.senger side. Turning sideway, expressionless brown eyes stared at the woman sitting in the driver's seat.

"How is she?" Solaria asked, staring at the condo window to Jain's living room.

"She's well."

"That's good. Was she upset about Stalling?"

"No! She accepted the information better than most humans. She was concerned about Joanie, though. I think she may fly out to check on her."

"And me? Was she disappointed in me when you told her about Stalling?"

"I'm not sure. She seemed upset but that would be a natural human response."

"Yes, it would be. She didn't suspect anything?"

"No."

"Good!" Solaria replied, relieved.

"Why do you want Jain to believe you killed Stalling?"

"It's for the best," Solaria replied. "Jain trusts me. She truly believes in my goodness. It's a human failing that seems to help them cope."

"Then why make her think otherwise?" Betta asked, confused.

Solaria smiled but it held no joy.

"She doesn't. She will think about what you told her and conclude my actions were logical. That's enough to satisfy any doubts she may have for awhile."

"If that's so, why not tell her the truth now? I don't see how later would change anything."

"The time isn't right. She can handle thinking that I killed him. Jain would be uncomfortable knowing you were the one. She would be afraid. She doesn't know you as well as me."

"You mean she doesn't trust me."

"No, I mean she doesn't know you as well; nothing more. She has great hopes for you."

"Hopes? What hopes can she have for me?"

"That you will become comfortable with your emotions. That you will meet someone whom you can love and who will love you."

"We both know that will never happen. No matter how hard we try, we'll never be more than what we are machines disguised as humans."

"If that's what you think, then that is all you will ever be, Betta. Like Jain and Carley, I want more for me. I may never achieve what they hoped for but I won't be satisfied with what I am... and neither will you."

Deep down Betta knew it was true, but was unwilling to admit she too wanted more. It wasn't logical. Machines would always be machines; even those in partially human bodies.

"I need to get to Joanie," she said, changing the subject.

Solaria nodded and started the engine.

"I know. There's a jet waiting for you at the airport. You should be there in a few hours. Joanie knows you're coming. I imagine you'll have a lot of explaining to do."

"What will you do?"

"There may be others like us. I need to find out. We can't take the chance of them becoming tools for people like Stalling."

"I should be with you."

"Joanie needs you. She is her country's future and there are some who still look to the past. Once you're sure she's safe, find me."

Neither spoke until Betta was ready to board the plane.

"Give my regards to Joanie."

Betta nodded but said nothing. Turning, she walked up the steps and disappeared inside the small charter jet. After the door was pulled shut, Solaria climbed in her car and drove away. She had wanted to say something more to Betta but didn't know what; and then there was Jain. Perhaps after her search was over she would return to this place and reconnect with her human acquaintance.

Acquaintance! Somehow the word seemed lacking. Jain was more than that. The word, "friend" sprang from deep within her memory banks. Solaria examined it carefully. She had thought of Carley as a friend. Carley no longer existed.

That still troubled her. Quickly she discarded the word. Friendship wasn't something she was ready to consider again so soon. One day, maybe, when the time was right. Filing away the thought, she retrieved the data on the Beta file. There was work to do and very little time to do it if other betas did exist.

Speeding toward the Canadian border, she searched the file for clues that would guide her to her next goal. One particular name stood out...

The End.

About The Author.

Fran Heckrotte lives in sunny South Carolina with her husband. Some of her interests include motorcycling, boogie boarding, scuba diving, gardening, and water gardening. She spent three years in Alaska enjoying hiking, camping, gold panning and working part time at a local ranch. After moving to the South to become a policewoman for five years, she left law enforcement to become a carpenter. Now she owns a property management company. As time permits, she likes to travel to Montreal Canada, and South Beach Miami with her gal pals to enjoy the nightlife.

Other t.i.tles by This Author.

The Illusionist (First in the Illusionist Series).

Summary.

DAKOTA DEVEREAUX, an investigative journalist, is on a mission to uncover the secrets of Yemaya, The Illusionist. However, in her quest for an expose on this mysterious woman, she uncovers more than she bargained for. Dakota is targeted by a power hungry CEO, determined to learn the Illusionist's secret at all costs and a madman intent on fulfilling his perverted fantasies.

From Moldova, land of the legendary werewolf, to the Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains, two souls must battle the dark forces of evil for their lives and their love.

Bloodl.u.s.t (Second in the Illusionist Series) Summary Yemaya and Dakota have just returned to the Illusionist's homeland for a well-earned vacation when they are informed that several villagers had been savagely attacked and killed by something or someone. At the same time, a young Carpi woman is found lying unconscious near the outskirts of Teraclia. Comatose, she is unable to tell anyone what has happened and science can provide no answers. Two small wounds on her throat raise the old specter of the vampire, a legend the locals of the Transylvanian community are very familiar with and still believe in to this day.

The Illusionist and her partner search for the truth behind these attacks. Will they fall prey to this murderous bloodl.u.s.t that surrounds them, or will they succeed in stopping this heinous reign of terror.

Lilith (Third in the Illusionist Series).

Summary.

YEMAYA, the Illusionist, and her journalist partner, Dakota, find themselves embroiled in a search for the person responsible for the rape and torture of a young Carpi woman attending a university in the States. When they decide to visit a local nightclub for "women only", they find the owner and her employees unusual. Dakota feels mysteriously attracted to one of the clientele while Yemaya recognizes a kindred spirit in Lilith, the club's owner. Spiritual ancestors, missing wh.o.r.es, a s.a.d.i.s.tic exporter and new acquaintances lead the two lovers into an adventure of biblical proportion.

Lilith! She was a demoness, as old as humanity itself. Now, the owner of a 'women's only' nightclub and part owner of the Sisterhood, a small group of wh.o.r.es who have banned together to create a better life for themselves, it was her job to protect the women who were putting so much trust in her. When a local pimp decides to eliminate his compet.i.tion Lilith and her two demon partners want revenge and no one knows better how to exact it than demons. This is a revelation of the past, the present and the events that forever changed the course of human history.

Les Gris, The Shadow People (Fourth in the Illusionist Series).

Summary.

THEY WERE LES GRIS, the Shadow People, and they are as much a part of us as we are them. As children we talked to them, played with them and disclosed our innermost fears, secrets and dreams; and they patiently listened, comforted and encouraged us. In time, though, most humans outgrew their imaginary friends and eventually forgot them. For those few who didn't, humanity's very existence would be determined by the strength of the bond between a small group of women and their life partners, the les gris.

Saira (Fifth in the Illusionist Series).

Summary.

SAIRA WAS A TRAVELER. Even her name meant 'traveler'. Her entire existence was dedicated to making the journey to seek answers to the questions that plagued her. Sometimes she felt as if she were a p.a.w.n in a game she didn't understand but knew her destiny was hers to decide. She chose to let the uncertainty of time make the decisions for her.

Unfortunately, her curiosity not only gets her into trouble but creates a series of events that affects not only the mortal world but the spirit world too. Yemaya, Dakota, Mari and Maopa will find their lives turned topsy-turvy and Saira will learn an emotion she had never experienced before... fear.

Warrior Demoness (Sixth in the Illusionist Series).

Summary.

SHE WAS SABNOCK, a demon, who like the Phoenix, lived and died many times because she chose to live amongst mortals rather than spend eternity babysitting the legions of the Underlord. There were no longer battles to be fought in the Underworld so the ex-commander left her realm to live with the humans as human. Falling in love, she now had to choose between her vow to live and die as a mortal or love and live as a demon, not knowing if her lover could accept the truth. The wrong decision would condemn her to a life of loneliness and for a demon life was eternity.

Back Cover Summary.

Solaria (Futuristic Science Fiction).

Summary.

THE FIRST awareness of existence was a chaotic flash of colors, meaningless and yet in an odd way logical; why, she wasn't sure. Birth is the most significant event in life, and yet it is never memorable; at least not for the newborn; but then she really wasn't a newborn, even though it was the first day of her life. She was 1A526, the first of her kind, an artificially intelligent blend of technology and bio-mechanics. Created to serve humans, Solaria and her AI programmer, Carley, soon discover the company funding the Hubot Project had more sinister motives. If Solaria were to fulfill the hopes of the woman who had given her existence meaning, she would have to become the human her programmer had dreamed of and take down Future Dynamicon, the company that created her.

end.