Fractured Dreams Teaser

I'm submitting a piece for the Fandom Against Domestic Violence. The story I'm submitting is a future-take from the Star Crossed universe. Here is the extended summary ...

Once she was old enough, N’essie joined Galaxy Fleet. She went through her training and became a healer, a doctor, the first in her class in Galaxy Fleet Medical. Aboard the ship, Valiant, N'essie, along with her fellow crew mates are deployed to a battle along the Solarian/Romulan border. They are there to provide medical relief for the Solari people and help end the battle.

On one of the Solarian colonies, along the edge of Romulan territory, N'essie and her team of doctors, nurses and medics transport down to provide aide to the injured Solarian, Human, Talaxian and Cygnarian people living on the planet. In the midst of a raging battle, N'essie finds an injured man and instantly, her heart stopped, recognized the unconscious, broken Solari man as her mate. With the help of her staff, they do their best to stabilize him, but he's fallen into a deep coma.

Transporting aboard the Valiant, N'essie heals the man's wounds, but his mind is a jumble of memories, horrors of battle and a sweet voice, trying to calm him. N'essie begins her vigil by his side, trying to heal the injuries in his mind. However, she gets lured into his dreams, his mind, his memories. Will it be too late for N'essie, lost in the man's Fractured Dreams? 

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And the teaser ...

Aboard the Valiant, they moved into a standard orbit and transported down to the surface. The city center had been completely obliterated. In the distance, the away team could hear bombing and phaser fire. N’essie slung her emergency med kit over her shoulder and zipped up her Galaxy Fleet jacket. “Stay armed and with your partner. Triage the victims and provide basic care. Anyone who is immediate medical attention, transport them directly to the infirmary aboard the Valiant or the Cigno. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” said N’essie’s staff. They took off, scattering along the city center. N’essie and her nurse checked the buildings along the main street, looking for any survivors. However, there were none in the city center. All of the bodies were in various stages of decomposition.

“Dr. Cullen, there are no life signs,” said N’essie’s nurse, Alanna. “Should we ask Captain Mo’ranne to transport us closer to the fighting?”

N’essie was about to nod when her comm badge chirped. “Cullen,” she barked.

“Doctor, we are going to transport you closer to Captain Charanel’s location. They are under attack and need medical attention,” said Captain Mo’ranne. “Energizing.” N’essie, Alanna and her team were transported to a large outcropping of rocks. They immediately took cover as phaser fire rung out all around them. Her uncle crouched down next to her. He was bleeding from a cut on his face.

“Sir, you’re bleeding,” N’essie said, taking out a dermal regenerator.

“I’m fine,” he replied, waving her away. “We need to find out how to disrupt this neural weapon that the Romulans have.”

“Do you have scans of it?” N’essie asked, running the regenerator over her uncle’s face. He handed her his tricorder. She ran her fingers over the tiny screen, trying to make sense of the readings. “Here! Have everyone set their phasers to this frequency. It’ll disrupt the neural damage to the Solarians and other victims.” She blinked up to her uncle. “Is that why I’m getting his killer headache?”

“Yes,” Charanel replied, sending out N’essie’s frequency. Almost immediately the pain in their heads dissipated and the Romulans transported off the surface. “Charanel to all hands, check for any survivors! Stay armed and ready to attack.” They all began searching for any survivors. Most of the Solarians, humans and Talaxians were injured with significant brain damage. N’essie and the other doctor from the Cigno had them transported to their infirmaries.

“Doctor Cullen,” called Alanna. “We need you!”

“Are you good?” N’essie asked the doctor from the Cigno. He nodded. N’essie found Alanna in a cavern, running scans on an unconscious Solari man. When she saw him, N’essie felt like she had the air taken from her lungs. The man was completely battered and bruised, but N’essie only saw his beauty and his fractured thoughts in her head.

Pain … light … death … now … help …

Flashes of the nightmare he endured prior to his injury were on repeat along with those words. N’essie knelt down, brushing his short blonde hair away from his face. I’m here. You’re safe, N’essie thought to him. She took his hand, relishing in the warmth of his hand. “Cullen to Valiant,” N’essie said.

“Transporter Chief Beau here.”

“Two to beam directly to sick bay,” N’essie murmured, her fingers twining with her mysterious stranger, the man who was her mate.

Star Crossed Update: Epilogue

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“Thank you, Emperor,” said Governor Ru’bio, the son of Governor Ru’bia, from the city of Fl’aag. “We appreciate the additional desalinization units for the hydroponic gardens.”

“The gardens have produced so many fresh fruit and vegetables for the desert regions surrounding Fl’aag. Plus, your researchers have helped the Federation fine-tune their hydroponic techniques, as well,” I smiled, shaking Governor Ru’bio’s hand. “How is your father?”

“He’s the same,” Ru’bio frowned. “His illness is not improving, but not getting any worse, either.”

“Let him know that Empress Nirabelle and I are thinking about him,” I said, putting a hand on Ru’bio’s shoulder. “Your father was a wonderful man. Ygrin’ne syndrome is a cruel and horrific disease.” Ygrin’ne syndrome was a crippling, debilitating syndrome that attacked a Cygnarian’s mind. It was similar to Alzheimer’s from years ago on Earth, but it was faster moving and also impacted the victim’s motor functions as well. Within a year of his diagnosis, Ru’bia was confined to a wheelchair and barely able to say a few words. Even with the most advanced medicine of the Federation, there was absolutely nothing we could do to help him or any other sufferers of Ygrin’ne syndrome. Rose was working with Kunnan and the doctors on Forx to figure out a cure, or at least a viable treatment.

However, it didn’t seem promising. The genetic coding for the syndrome was very complex and wouldn’t respond to any standard treatments. They were exploring some not-so-standard options.

“Thank you again, Emperor,” Governor Ru’bio smiled, getting up from the seat across from me. I nodded and watched as he left. I got up from my desk, walking to the window. I ran my hand through my thick hair, still bronze-colored hair. I was almost fifty-six but didn’t look a day over thirty. The medication that Kunnan gave me once a month worked wonders. I was stronger than before, in the best shape of my life. I rarely got sick and when I did, I recuperated quickly thanks to the injection and my carbon-infused bones.

It was bittersweet, though. I was seemingly ageless while my parents were growing older, as were my friends and fellow colleagues. The three comforts were knowing that my sister was also receiving the same injections as me, my beautiful and wonderful children whom I loved and that I was able to spend my life with my mate, my one and only love, Nirabelle.

My Bella.

My sweet Fíorghrá.

Ch'ichean Sea

William

Cigno

New Throne Room

New Palace Dining Room

Edward and Bella's Imperial Suite

Imperial Bedroom

Imperial Cottage

Imperial Bathroom

Star Crossed Update

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“I thought you broke up with him?” I asked, arching a brow at my sister. “You said you were. He’s a lazy douchebag.”

“I said I wanted to take a break, but we’re still kind of together,” Elizabeth argued half-heartedly, looking longingly at the door. “But, I don’t really care about him anymore. What I felt for him is nothing compared to what I feel for Charanel. Where’s Charanel? I’d really like to go to him.” She got up and started walking to the door. I guided her back to the sofa. Bella sat next to her, looping her arm through my sister’s, keeping her in the office.

“He’s getting the same conversation as you are, Elizabeth,” Bella chimed in, rubbing her shoulders. 

“Describe how you’re feeling. Don’t skip anything.”

“I can still hear Charanel’s thoughts. He’s thinking about me,” she blushed. “He thinks I’m beautiful and he’s curious to know if my hair is as soft as it looks.” She bit her lip, furrowing her brow. “I can tell what he’s feeling.” Her blush deepened. “He’s really turned on. He really wants to kiss me and taste my skin …”

“Okay, enough,” I said, cringing slightly. “I don’t need to know that.”

“Was it intense? All-consuming? Like, complete desperation to get next to him?” Bella questioned. 

“Or was it more of a warm glow that surrounded you in this perfect bubble of love?”

“Warm glow,” Elizabeth nodded, her pale skin turning a bright pink. “He’s my mate? Are we mates like you?”

They’re not like us, Edward. You had to admit, our reaction, even if it was through a view screen, was pretty intense, Bella said mentally. I nodded in agreement. “You are definitely mates, Elizabeth, but not te’atée mates. Now that you’ve seen him and connected with him, you will have to mate with him in a year or you will both die, unfortunately,” Bella murmured, her nose wrinkled. “We never separated Charanel from the females since he had that delay. Something in his mind never clicked. He just saw all as playmates, not as a romantic mate.”

“And now, since that delay has been repaired, the chemical reaction, recognizing his mate, recognizes me?” Elizabeth asked. “But, I met him. Before, at your mating ceremony. Wouldn’t I have had some sort of reaction then?”

“Did you think he was attractive?” I questioned.

“I thought he was handsome, but I knew he was delayed. Some of the nobles sitting at our table called him yanhesh, and saying some other nasty things about Charanel. I got irrationally upset when they did. I never said anything, but I had to walk away for a moment,” Elizabeth murmured. “I was going to crack some heads if they continued bad mouthing him.”

“I think,” Bella said. “I think that you were so irrationally upset about that commentary because you felt the beginning of the mating bond. It couldn’t fully form until Charanel had the damage to his brain repaired. Now that he’s ‘normal,’ you both are experiencing the full extent of imprinting. You are not like Edward and me, though.”

Elizabeth Cullen

Harry

Charanel

Cygnarus boiler room

Bridge

Shuttle Bay

Corridors

Battle Bridge

Imperial Battle Cruisers

bsh'took

dk'took

Star Crossed Teaser

“I’m still confused,” Elizabeth muttered. “Charanel is my soul mate?”

“Yes. Your souls are compatible. He loves you already, just like you love him,” Bella smiled, taking Elizabeth’s hands.

My sister pulled her hands back. “Love him? I don’t even know him! I want to know him better, but I can’t say that I love him,” Elizabeth said shortly, shaking her head aggressively. “Plus, I have to hail Harry and tell him that our ‘break’ is more permanent than I thought. I can’t very well start something new until that’s been dealt with. You know?”

“I don’t know,” Bella replied, her head cocked to the side. “I’ve only ever loved Edward.”

“Eddie, please tell me you understand,” Elizabeth whined, taking my hands.

“I do, but until you have had your mating ceremony, you and Charanel must be chaperoned. You cannot kiss until the ceremony. It begins the mating bond and it escalates. Quickly,” I chided.

“Chaperone, ugh! And no kissing,” she mumbled. She sat back on the couch, crossing her legs and pouting slightly. With an angry huff, she relented. “Got it.” She looked at me. “Will our mating ceremony happen as quickly as yours?”

“Probably not, Elizabeth,” Bella answered. “Edward and I are te’atée mates. Our souls were intertwined and needed to fuse, reunite. That coupled with his being human forced our mating ceremony to occur very quickly. According to Marcusi, if we didn’t complete the mating bond within a week after our arrival on Forx, we’d both be dead.”

“And by mating bond, you mean sex,” Elizabeth said, arching a brow. She grinned saucily.  

“Yes,” I nodded. “It completes the connection between you and your mate.”

“And with time, that bond becomes stronger,” Bella added. “You’ll have to experience the genetic enhancements like Edward to lengthen your life. It’s a simple injection taken once a month.”

“Whoa! How long do you live?” Elizabeth asked, her eyes wide.

“Between two hundred and two hundred and fifty years,” Bella replied. “And our years are longer than yours, as well.”

“My head is about to explode,” she moaned, leaning forward and massaging her temples. “I can’t …”

The door to my office opened and Charanel barreled through with Senator J’ran on his heels. Charanel sat down next to my sister and tenderly wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her hair. His spots glowed and my sister snuggled to his side, her arms sliding around his middle. Charanel whispered in Cygnarian, his fingers brushing through her blonde hair. With each caress, Elizabeth settled more. And Charanel started purring. “Do you feel better, Elizabeth?” Bella asked.

“Yeah. Not so out of sorts,” she replied, looking up at Charanel with adoration. He smiled softly, pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead. “Is it because I’m near you?”

Charanel nodded, staring into Elizabeth’s eyes. 

Star Crossed Teaser

“Do you remember when father would set up tents outside in the Imperial Gardens?” Charanel asked. “We would go camping in the safety of the palace.”

“I do remember that,” Bella smiled. “I think it would nice to honor our father and have a camping trip in the gardens,” Bella giggled. “Have you ever gone camping, Edward?”

“More times than I can count,” I laughed. “Part of my Galaxy Fleet training included outdoor engineering and orienteering with just the basics. I enjoyed it a lot since I’d gone camping with my family. Some of my classmates hated it and were spoiled by their replicators and soft beds. Once we are done with all of this, I’d like to take both of you to Earth and we could go camping in the wilderness outside of Galaxy Fleet Headquarters. It’s beautiful and untouched by any technology.”

“Let me contact Maralice and make the arrangements,” Bella said, hailing her envoy. Charanel left and said that he was going change into something more comfortable. I did the same, changing into a pair of grey cargo pants and a tight grey shirt with a navy jacket. Bella limped into our bedroom, grimacing slightly.

“Are you okay, Fíorghrá?” I asked. “How is your leg?”

“It hurts. I haven’t taken any of the pain medication since we returned from Cygnaria Prime, ti’ane,” she murmured. “I’m trying to not take anything. I hate the way the drugs make me feel.”

“Have you spoken with Kunnan? Perhaps he can prescribe something that won’t make you feel as drugged,” I suggested, rushing to her and sitting down on the bed with her in my lap. “And do you really want to go camping now? You need a bed. You need to be comfortable.”

“The camping from your childhood and the camping from mine is very different, Edward,” Bella giggled. “We will have a tent, but we will also have every luxury, including some very comfortable beds. My father was spoiled and he made sure that we enjoyed the outdoors, but with the necessities he needed. Which included a bed and cooled air inside of the tent.”

“That’s not camping,” I scoffed. “That’s having a tent with air conditioning.”

“What’s camping for you, ti’ane?” she asked, her fingers massaging at the nape of my neck.

“Camping is roughing it. Carrying all you need on your back and using your instincts to survive. No electricity, no replicators, no prepared food. Everything you ate, you hunted or gathered yourself. You didn’t eat until you had a fire burning. And no phasers. Use bow and arrows to kill your meal and flint and steel to create your fire,” I grunted.

“Well, we can do that on Earth, Edward. Here? We’ll do my father’s version of camping,” Bella snickered. “And it’s within the Imperial Palace walls. Until the threat of the Remans, the Alphans and the Alliance is gone, we have to remain protected.”

“That’s important, but I will take you and Charanel camping. After all of this, we will hike the Hoh Rainforest in the Olympic National Park. It’s located in an old Earth state of Washington. It’s beautiful, but so very different from Forx,” I smiled.

“I look forward to it, Edward,” Bella beamed, leaning forward to brush her lips with mine. I hugged her to my body, tracing her lips with my tongue. She sighed, opening her mouth to me and allowing me to taste her sweet flavor. We were lost in each other, our kisses becoming frantic. She pulled back, her chest heaving. You are too addictive, Edward. One kiss and all I want is to make love.

I nodded, my fingers tracing down her sizzling spots. “Soon, Fíorghrá. Now, I’ll let you get changed. I want to see if the kitchen can provide us with the makings for s’mores. It’s the one food that I take out camping that I don’t hunt myself.”

“S’mores?” she asked, unfamiliar with the term.

“You’ll see, Bella,” I laughed. “Dress in layers. I don’t know how cold the tent will get.” Bella smiled, getting up from my lap and limping to the closet. “And call Kunnan.”

“I will,” she replied, ducking into her closet. 

The update for Star Crossed chapter seventeen will be coming up in ONE WEEK. August 13th. I may post another teaser on Sunday, but we'll see. If you haven't done so, reread what I've written so you're familiar with where I left off! Yay!! 

Blog Only Teaser

In the school room, Charanel was working with his tutor. He was working with paper and pencil, drawing feverishly. “What’s he doing?” I asked.

“Charanel may be developmentally delayed, but he is an amazing artist,” Bella replied, threading her fingers with mine. “We tried to get him to work with computers, but he loved to sketch on paper with pencils, making some of the most beautiful pieces. The small picture in our bedroom, the one of my father? Charanel drew that.”

“The picture of you, Charanel and your dad?” I whispered. She blushed, nodding. “I thought it was a commissioned piece.”

“No. Charanel drew that from his memory. It was from one our favorite summers down in Ch’ich. We spent the day playing on the pink sand, making sand castles and frolicking in the waves,” Bella mused, her voice wistful. “That was what Charanel remembered and you can see that we were all so happy.”

Charanel must have heard us talk about him. He put his pencil down, looking up to see the two of us. He pushed back from his seat and ran to Bella, enfolding her into a loving hug. “Nirabelle! I missed you,” he said, crushing her to his body.

“I missed you, too,” she said, rubbing her hands along Charanel’s back. “It’s been too long since we’ve had a picnic. Why don’t we have one today?”

He beamed, nodding excitedly. He let Bella go, running back to his table, where the tutor was sitting with a warm grin. Charanel picked up the picture he was working on, galumphing back to where we were standing. He clutched it to his chest, his spots deepening in color as he blushed. “Ed, I have something for you,” Charanel said, his words jumbled and hard to understand. Shyly, he handed me the picture. Drawn in perfect detail was a picture of me and Bella. The love radiating between the two of us was clear as day. My hand was cupped on her cheek, caressing her skin with my thumb. She was on my lap, smiling softly, her mouth so close to mine. Her fingers were tangled in my hair at the nape of my neck just above my uniform. My other hand was wrapped around her tiny waist, holding her close to my body. “You love my sissy.” He clumsily repeated the Cygnarian phrase, “Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari.”

“I do, Charanel,” I murmured, just staring at the perfect picture. “This is so beautiful.”

“You and Nirabelle are beautiful,” he said, standing next to me and pointing to the picture. “It’s a present for Hisnari. I know it’s late.”

“Charanel, this is the best gift I’ve ever received,” I said honestly. “This will be framed and put on my desk. It means so much to me that you drew this.”

“I only draw for people I love, fei’rene,” Charanel admitted quietly. “Norex got no pictures.” His eyes darkened and he growled lowly. “Only Nirabelle and Father. Norex called me yanhesh. Norex hated me.” He frowned deeply, so angry.

“Norex was wrong, Charanel. You are so special,” I said, placing the picture on the table next to me before I hugged him. Charanel gripped me so tightly, his sobs breaking my heart. “Te’une fei’rene. Always.”

“Te’une fei’rene,” he replied, his voice deep and raspy. “You are my true brother and my family.”