Intergalactic Desire by Fiery Desires

memory. And she hated it because of her father and the suffocating small-town mentality.
     
    Halley’s Peak was too small and familiar; nothing interesting ever happened there.
     
    She’d sworn that when she’d saved up more than $1,000, she’d leave Halley’s Peak forever and head somewhere new. Vegas was closer and cheaper, but Sia found all its magic disappeared the moment the sun came up. 
    Sia shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her leather jacket and trudged along, hoping the bus ticket wouldn’t be too expensive.
    Suddenly a hand clenched her arm and swiveled her around. She was faced with none other than Q.
    His non-existent jawline had suddenly emerged, rigid with tension, while his eyes scanned the streets.
     
    “You have to come with me, now.”
     
    “Uh, hello to you too.” Sia hid her annoyance at his brisk manner. “I’m sure you’d probably rock my world, but I’m going somewhere—”
    “Sia, I don’t have time to explain right now. You just have to trust me.”
    She clicked her tongue impatiently and shrugged out of his grasp. “The fuck I do! Look, I think you misjudged what was going on between us in the diner. You’re just a customer—I was being polite to you, that’s all! Now you’re acting like a total creep. Get out of my way, or you’ll be sorry.”
     
    Q made the mistake of reaching for her again, hissing “I’m sorry I have to do this,” but she was ready for him this time, kicking him sharply in the chest and then in the groin.
    He toppled to his knees, groaning in pain. Sia took this opportunity and sprinted back down the alley. She bumped into a trashcan, knocking it over as she turned right and slipped out of sight. Sia finally stopped when she could no longer hear any pursuing footsteps behind her, clutching a stitch forming in her side. Disbelief dawned—some creeper had tried to kidnap her! Her whole body pulsed with rage when she heard stealthy footsteps behind her. In one fluid movement, she grabbed an empty beer bottle, broke it, and whipped around waving it in front of her, a crazy glint in her eye.
     
    “Whoa, whoa! Chill out! Like, everything’s cool!”
     
    Sia’s stance wavered ever so slightly when she saw the handsome stranger she’d served coffee to earlier. He was holding his hands up in surrender, a disarming smile on his flawless face. “You!”
     
    “I heard somebody goin’ postal down here, so I came to check it out. Are you ok?” Even though his voice was soothing, Sia didn’t release her grip on her chosen weapon. “Yo, no need to get salty, chica. I’m not some kind of lurker. Honest. Why don’t you put the glass teeth down?”
    Slowly, Sia’s senses came back to her and she chucked the bottle into the trash. Her knees buckled and the handsome stranger caught her in his arms before she could keel over. “Whoa, take it easy. What happened to you?”
    “This guy totally tried to…j-j-jack me!”
    “For real? Where’s the fool now?” Her savior even made a show of glancing all around him, as if he really expected her less-than-friendly accoster to jump out from behind a trashcan with a ski mask and a switchblade.
    “I-I-I don’t know…” Sia stammered. This was turning into one hell of a weird day.
    She barely objected when her gallant rescuer began rubbing her shoulders gently. “It’s ok. Do you wanna go to the cops or something?”
    “Yeah, I should probably do that.”
    “Cool. I can walk you, if you like.”
    Sia felt like slapping herself for being so weak. She tried her best to smile even though her teeth were chattering like crazy. “It’s cool. I can find my own way. But thanks.”
     
    The handsome stranger smirked. “Actually, I should be the one thanking you.”
     
    “Huh?” Without warning, Sia felt cold, steely hands wrap around her throat and she was shoved against a brick wall. The stone and cement cut into her back as she struggled wildly to free herself but his grip was so strong he