The Long Kiss Goodnight

Alena awoke at about suppertime, and Allen was sitting there right next to the bed.

"Ohh, what…a vision…"

Allen had an unreadable expression on his face.

"You! You're…Allen Schezar VII!"

"What about it?"
"You must take me to see King Van in Fanelia! His life is in grave danger!"

"Hold on. Let's take this one step at a time. Who are you and what are you?"

"I am a Draconian. My name is Alena Garodrou."

"Okay, at least we got that right. Now why would Van's life be in danger?"

"A vision told me that Van dies, a man him and it's someone he knows."

"Let's get you some supper. After that we'll talk."

So the servants brought her something to eat, a kind of stew and a loaf of bread. She thankfully ate it.

Allen studied her as she ate.

Alena was young, about twenty-six in Earth years. Her mouth wasn't as bad as Allen had perceived it to be, with lips that were thin, but just supple enough. He noticed that there was something strange about her teeth.

Are those FANGS?

He decided to stop staring at her mouth and looked elsewhere. Like her hair.

Her hair was a gorgeous black, silky, a lot different than what he was used to seeing. It was voluminous, but not at all like Millerna's hair. It was much…different.

"This is good stew," she said, and picked her spoon back up with perfect manners.

He thought about her voice. It wasn't the prim-and-proper drawl he was used to, but it was a soft, gentle tone that really captivated him.

Allen looked at her eyes, without actually looking in to them. They were a hue of green that no Gaean emerald could reproduce. Her eyelashes were long, as if it were inhumanly possible to grow lashes as gorgeous as those. For someone whom he called a freak, he seemed awfully interested in her.

"I hope it's not too hot for you, Alena."

"Oh no, not at all. I like it very much."

He studied her some more. He looked at her hands, and notice that they looked like they had never seen work. But judging by the sword she was carrying, they definitely had. Her nails (claws?) were slightly grown out, and well maintained. They remained unpainted, however. Her fingers were long and slender, and her palms remained uncalloused.

I have got to get a hold of her manicurist.

He tried imagining what her arms looked like under her shirt, but he could not get a picture.

"Are you done giving me an eyebath?" Alena said.

"Nothing like a witty remark to humble even the most chivalrous of men."

"Chivalry my arse. You were gawking at me like a slack-jawed yokel at a circus."

She laughed at her own remark, and Allen joined her.

"I like your laugh, Alena. Nice and hearty, but not awkward. The way all laughs should be."

"I like your smile, Allen Schezar. But I think we have to talk."

"Yes, I think we should do that."

Allen ordered the servants to bring a bottle of Asturia Cranberry '92. They brought it, along with two wine glasses.

"So, what's your story?"

"I'm psychic warfare specialist on a mission from the heavens. I'm seeking world peace."

"So you are an angel."

"No. The Sisterhood of Terra trained me. I ran away from Zaibach when I was young. I know that I may be a mix of two or more races from Gaea."

"Which ones?"

"Well, I have the wings. That makes me either part Draconian or part bird-person. I'm pretty sure it's the former. Then I have these darned fangs. I don't know where I got those. Maybe from my next one."

"Which one is that?"

"I think I'm also part leopard-person. It probably explains the strange markings on my neck, shoulders, and thighs."

"No tail?"

"No tail."

"That's strange. Maybe I can ask Folken about a young girl named Alena."

"Don't bother. That's the reason why I ran away. I was part of some project to create the world's first psychic soldier. They made me in case Dilandau Albatou got out of control, and that I could stop him."

"Made you?"

"Some new-fangled science the Zaibach inventors call life-creation. They probably took the blood from different people and grew it into what is now me. By the time I found out that the war was over and they had no more use for me, I ran away. They were going to kill me. That's when I came to the Sisterhood. They taught me how to defend myself, and how to perfect my psychic powers. By the time I was eighteen, I was ready to go out into the world and take care of myself. I decided instead of being a soldier of death and destruction, I decided to be a soldier of peace and happiness."

"That's nice of you. We wouldn't want another world menace on our hands."

Alena looked at the young man.

"Allen, maybe it's the wine talking, but I'd say you're handsome. I know you're single—"

"And let's keep it that way. I've no desire to love a woman who will leave me in a heartbeat."

"I wouldn't do that to you!"

"Now that's the wine talking."

"That's cruel, Allen! Here I am, opening myself up to you, and you're just blowing me off like I'm just a streetwalker! I'd love you, Allen, if you just gave me the flaming chance!"

"I can't do it. I know you'll hurt me."

 Alena thrust her face in her hands and cried.

She's crying. So what! I've seen women cry before. It doesn't bother me. I won't give her the chance. It doesn't bother me that I've hurt her.

Oh, who am I kidding?!

Allen put his arms around her and hugged her.

"I'm so sorry, Alena. I didn't mean to hurt you. I—"

Allen's nervousness exploded like a gunpowder bomb.

"I'm afraid, Alena. I'm afraid you'll hurt me like Millerna hurt me. I know by doing the things I did, I deserved it, but I've suffered for long enough. I need someone to love me and stay with me. Forever and ever."

"Oh Allen, I—"

Allen looked at the young woman. She lay there, and strangely, he could hear purring.

Alena looked into his eyes. They were the shade of blue that only could be found on his clothes.

"Kiss me. So that you can show me that you really love me."

"How did you know what I was thinking, Alena?"

"Shut up, Sir Chatterbox, and work your magic."

And with that, Allen kissed the young woman, and Allen was surprised to experience that Alena was a great kisser, even better than, dare he say it, himself.

What am I doing? I'm with this crazy woman who fell from the sky and all I can think of is getting some? What ever happened to Cynical ol' Allen? And why am I thinking of sex now when I just met her? I've never felt this way before! By the heavens, why can't I just be a good knight? 

 Allen was surprised to find out that she excited him. Not in any way that anyone had before. One that Hitomi, Millerna, or Marlene had never, ever made him feel. With Hitomi, he cared about her, but it was just a fading crush. With Millerna, he didn't want to think it, but it was for a piece of action. He never figured out what it was with Marlene. Maybe he was confused. But now it was so different. He cared about Alena, she was desirable, and it seemed it was almost romantic. He wondered if Alena was the one for him. He had swept many women off their feet in his day, but now it was the other way around. Alena took his breath away. He loved her more than any other woman before. Right now he didn't care that Dilandau was still out there or that Van missed Hitomi or that Folken and Eriya had a baby. All that mattered was that he had found someone.

She knew what he had been thinking when he was looking at her, and she pressed his tongue against the length of her long, sharp, feline, pointed tooth.

His flesh stiffened as soon as she broke off, pulling a bit on his lower lip with her own lips as she did so.

Allen was breathing pretty fast, his heart pounding in his chest. So was Alena, and she looked in his eyes.

Allen had to do something.

"Get some sleep, Alena. We have a long day tomorrow."