Alien Penetration by Yvonne Morgan Page A

had kept, mostly on account of the fact that Val didn’t have any male relatives around her own age. Aside from that, it was almost exclusively her married friends who tried to set her up. It’s almost as if they just can’t stand any of their friends not being married after they’ve tied themselves down. Are they jealous of my being single, or scared that I might get an interest in their husband? As if I’d be like that!
                  She had added to her vow just over a year ago, deciding never to have another one night stand either. She tried to block the many horrible experiences from her mind, but one in particular came anyway , unbidden.
                  She had met the guy at work and had found him wildly attractive. He seemed very interested , too. They had flirted a lot f or several weeks until, one day they had somehow wound up in her bed together. Things seemed to be going great at first, lots of kissing and heavy petting. She hadn’t been at all disappointed in his body, which turned out to be nicely tanned and toned. The problem occurred after the clothes were off and she was well past the point that she felt she could say no. When they were actually in the bed together, it turned out he didn’t really care if she enjoyed herself or not. Apparently, he thought the kissing and petting from before was all that she needed and that, with that out of the way at last, it was time for him to get his own jollies. He was a dead fish. There was no passion, no touching, just a quick in and out that left her feeling befouled and used. He had grabbed up his clothes and tore out of there like he’d been thrown, without even saying another word. She had not minded that part at all, had actually feared he might make things worse and linger. Thank God for small favors. Needless to say, work had been extremely awkward after that, at least for her, so she wound up having to find herself a position elsewhere.
                  “Earth to Caitlin. Come in. Over.”
                  Startled into a sudden awareness of her surroundings, Caitlin shook off the memory and glared at Val. “Yes?”
                  “You’re supposed to say ‘over.’” Val giggled at her scowl and pointed across the street at the door. “Are you ready?”
                  Caitlin nodded once, and, trailing well behind Val, crossed the pavem ent to the door of the club . She paused momentarily an d brac ed herself as Val opened the door and they entered. She hardly dared to open her eyes. When she finally did, it was only because she’d bumped into Val. She steadied herself, muttering an apology and looking over her friend’s shoulder. She let go of a breath she hadn’t known she held as relief flooded her. Somehow, she’d gotten it in her head that the club would be nothing but an orgy, a mass of naked, humping bodies her friend would doubtless insist she join. Instead, the crowd on the dance floor gyrating to the music looked and behaved just like they would have in any other club.
                  “Um. Val? Are you sure this is it?”
                  Val gave her a stern look over her shoulder. “Come on.” She pointed toward one of two sets of circular, wrought iron stairs. “Laura said to go up.”
                  As she followed her friend up the stairs, Caitlin found herself tensing up again. They were met at the top by a veritable wall of a man with beady eyes, who looked them over head to foot before stepping out of their way. His voice, though deep , seemed oddly normal for a man of his build. She’d actually expected something booming.
                  “You may enter.”
                  Caitl in edged to Val’s side as they l ooked around the mezzanine . There were four doors, each leading, supposedly, to four fantasy worlds. Before she’d even gotten the chance to read any of them, Val pointed