VANESSA anxiously waits for her birthday, a boyfriend and some much needed excitement in her dull and boring life.
She soon finds herself torn between two guys. Well, I guess that is what she would call them, even though one is a dead Alien King.
MAX, a dead alien who is trapped in limbo between two worlds and longs for Vanessa, his destiny, to help him home and become his Queen. He offers her his world, his heart and his future.
TOBY, a good looking guy who shows an interest and a desire to be with Vanessa, has confessed that he too has a destiny that he’s meant to be with another. However, it’s a destiny he doesn’t want.
The connection that Vanessa has with Max is strong but the desire she has for Toby may be even stronger.
Will she accept what Destiny has in store for her or find a way to escape to find one all on her own?
Excerpt:
“Vanessa, open your eyes, my dear. Meet Najinial.” I obey without reluctance. As expected, I am indeed barefoot. My hair is down, and flowing in the breeze while my clothes are gone, though I’m not naked. They are replaced with a sheer camisole gown made of a thin, satiny fiber that hugs my body in an unforgiving fashion. My wrists and waist are imprisoned with beautiful gems encased in silver and gold. The massive stones that encircle my neck should feel heavier than they do but I barely notice their existence. My hands are adorned with colors of red, purple and gold. My skin . . . my skin is as bronze and as radiant as Max’s.
I gorge myself with my surroundings. It is not night here, the cemetery or my earth. I stand upon cobblestone, which trails a narrow path along a mountain side. This path links with a waist high clay wall that hugs both sides. The sun is so bright. Well it isn’t my sun, but a sun that shines just as bright and beats down just as warm. Max is right. This place tugs at my soul like I belong here. I feel secure and safe as Max leads me by the arm along the cobblestone path towards the top of the mountainside. Time seems to stand still for me. It feels like it should have taken hours till we reach the top but in the same instance I know it only takes us seconds.
The reality I know, no longer exists here in Najinial. I hear a flapping noise, no, several flapping noises, all in unison. High above me are creatures of all sizes and colors. They are encircling us. Almost guarding us and announcing us at the same time, each one in line swooping and dipping their heads towards us. A magnificent sapphire creature with green wings winks at me and voices a coo of some kind from its wide-opened-teeth-engorged mouth. This is unbelievable!
The countryside is so lush with varying colors of flowers, trees and grass. These are my best descriptions I can conjure up. None look like those on Earth but yet I’m sure that is what they would be considered here on Najinial. It is beautiful but I still can’t bring myself to accept my overwhelming feeling of belonging, I just can’t. Well . . . not yet, at least.
As we reach the mouth of the entrance to the mountainside, amazingly enough I’m not out of breath, sore of any aching muscles or even drenched with perspiration from the rays of this sun here on Najinial. I feel empowered, refreshed and invigorated instead.
Max let me to my own thoughts the entire journey to the top. I am grateful too. What would I have said? Words couldn’t even begin to describe this place or my feelings.
Max’s expression of contentment has shown on his face as he beams with apparent satisfaction. Somehow I know in my heart he does belong here and that he is an important person here on Najinial as he claims he is. Well, all in all, a King is indeed considered important on any world.
As we enter the mountain through an archway made of silver and gold pebbles, I begin forgetting all about whether or not I am dreaming or I am crazy. The double columns on either side of us arch high above us. They must be twelve feet high and ten feet wide. The pebbles are embedded into violet clay that holds them in place.
The rite of passage seems to last several feet in front of us. The path has been laid out with cobblestone and gem-like stones of every spectrum color imaginable.
The aromas of fragrant flowers fill the air and adorn the edges of this entrance. I literally am in the ‘Ah of the moment!’ Max continues holding my hand throughout our journey forward.
How could anyone ever want to leave such a magnificent scene of beauty?
As darkness bestows upon us due to the depth of the cavern’s mouth, lights appear almost instantaneously, bright bulbs of glowing red and green lights. They might be mistaken for Christmas lights if I didn’t notice the wings on one of them flapping out of unison and tumbling to the pebbles below.
I stop, kneel down and examine the poor creature more intuitively. It is beautiful. The size is that of a hummingbird. The beak has an extensively unique curve. The wings are lean and transparent and twice the size of the body. It makes me wonder how something so sheer can flap so fast without ripping.
The belly is round and grape-like in size. It illuminates red rays through the center. As I approach closer, the tiny creature’s center of light flickers on and off and seems to have heaved its final breath before lying motionless at my feet.
I release Max’s hand and pick the creature up, my thumb rubbing the creature’s globe ever so gently and whispering to it as I do. “Poor little thing. What a magnificent little creature you are! This shouldn’t be your last day, but thank you for blessing my arrival with such a welcoming fashion little peep.” With this sentiment, I bend forward and kiss the creature on its head. My heart, so heavy with helplessness, is unable to fathom the unjust reason this has happened to come about here and now, right in front of our feet.
I turn to hand the creature over to Max, only to find him smiling. He reaches out and takes it from me. “His name was Roe. He has lived here for 243 Najinial years. He has all but given up waiting for his Najinial Queen to arrive. He is called a ‘Willio’. His duty was to light the path through to Najinial. I would say he did a rather nice job, wouldn’t you Vanessa?”
“Oh, yes!” I emphasize, as I look at Roe and around at the other Willios.
“I think he deserves another 243 Najinial years, don’t you Vanessa?”
“Oh, Yes!” I look at Max with questionable eyes. “Can you do that? Can you bring him back to life?”
He raises the corner of his mouth as he lifts his brow. He brings Roe to his lips, whispers softly and kisses the Willio on his head. With that moment of affection, Roe begins to flicker once more, stretching his neck and flapping his wings. He immediately begins checking to make sure everything is in working order.
Hundreds of Willios now are hovering around Max and me. They are flickering their globes on and off in an array of a light symphony.
Max throws Roe into the air and the little thing finds his place in the precession. Max holds out his hand for me to return mine, back into his possession. I do so eagerly and anxiously, waiting for the next stop along the way, wherever that may lead.
Max leans over and whispers “Home” into my ear, answering my unspoken question.
I smile and take a step forward, as if by a silent alarm, all the Willios fall back into position along the sides of the cavern to illuminate our remaining journey ahead.
We only walk but a few hundred feet before I see the light at the end of the path. I can hardly wait to see my destination. As if anything can possibly compare to the beauty and wonders I have already discovered of Najinial along the way.
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About Kimber Shook
I’m a huge sci-fi fan. I love all the paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi genres, of course, when romance is thrown in, it just makes it even better.
I grew up with a desire to write. Now being considered a middle-aged woman I have decided I’m running out of time. I stopped taking for granted the amount of time I have left to live and take matters into my own hands by actually working on a dream.
Writing a novel, Destiny Unhinged. It’s a great feeling to say I’m not just waiting for life to come to me, but rather I’m going after it and not
letting go.
Connect with Kimber Shook
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