When the knock came at the door, it was much softer than usual and a chill went down her spine. She quickly threw on her robe and peeked through the curtains.
Suits.
That's all she could see.
She swallowed thickly, opening the door slowly.
"Hi, can I help you?"
"Hello, Miss. I'm Agent Price and this is my partner, Agent Quinn. May we ask you a few questions?"
"About what?"
"There have been some strange occurrences in the local village. Some strange sightings as it were. We were wondering if you saw anything."
She smiled softly, tucking her bangs behind her ear, "I'm sorry. I just moved here a few weeks ago. I've been so focused on my work lately that I have rarely been outside."
"What do you do?"
"What?"
"Your occupation?"
"I'm a writer, so I don't mean to be short but I have a deadline to meet and writer's block is a bitch. Pardon my French."
"Of course, here's my card. If you happen to see anything, don't hesitate to contact me or my partner. Have a nice day, miss."
Wynn leans against the doorframe, watching them nonchalantly as they meander back to their car, climbing in and finally driving off.
Her heart was hammering in her chest. She knew why they were here and that made her stomach drop.
Ulyriad.
She had to warn him. She ran to her room, pulling the device out and activating it instantly.
"Hello, my dear. I trust you slept well?"
"We need to talk, Uly. Something is wrong."
"What? Are you alright? Have you been hurt?"
"No. I...I had visitors today, Uly. Men in suits. They were asking questions."
"Shit. Did they leave?"
"Yes, I saw them drive away."
"Can you meet me at the waterfall? Take a long way around, go into the cave and wait for me. We have some things to discuss."
"I'll be there in twenty minutes."
"Please be careful, Wynn."
"You too, Uly."
She dressed in jogging pants and a sports bra, putting her earbuds in before grabbing her water bottle. She might as well make it look like she's getting exercise in. And she stuffed a towel into her backpack and slung it over her shoulders.
Wynn locked her door behind her before she took off in a jog down the overgrown path behind her cabin. She was on edge, constantly looking over her shoulder, worried that she was going to see the agents following her.
She was worried about Uly most of all. He was kind and thoughtful. Highly intelligent and never once made her feel threatened and she knew what would happen if the government got a hold of him.
They would keep him locked up, pick his brain for new technology, reverse engineer his ship, or worse...kill him and dissect him for study. They would treat him as nothing more than a thing...a monster.
That made her stomach flip painfully and tears spring to her eyes.
She couldn't imagine him dead. She didn't want to. It hurt far too much.
He didn't deserve any of that.
When she finally reaches the waterfall, she shrugs her backpack off and sits down, taking a drink of water and trying to slow her breathing.
After a few minutes, she decides to take a swim. Standing to her feet she quickly sheds her clothes, folding each piece and placing it on top of her backpack.
She stretches lightly before wading into the warm water slipping under the waterfall and slowly climbing up the short rock face until she's finally in the cave.
A faint flicker of light draws her eye and she follows it in, finding Uly pawing at the ground impatiently.
"Uly?"
He whirls on her and lets out a rush of air at seeing her.
Then suddenly she's being lifted up and wrapped in his arms and he kisses her fiercely, viciously, pinning her to the stone wall behind her.
His mouth breaks off to nibble at her jaw, pressing biting kisses down her throat until he bites down lightly on her collarbone making her gasp.
"Wynn. Oh, my dear, I was so worried."
She kisses him gently and he chases her mouth back when she pulls back.
"What's going on Uly?"
He presses his face into her neck. "The agents have been after me since the first report of my appearance was filed. I had thought they had finally let me be. I was apparently wrong. We are going to have to be careful. I cannot come to your home anymore. We can only meet here or at my ship from now on. I don't want to draw any unwanted attention to you."
"It's a little late for that, don't you think? They've already seen my face and they know where I live. I can't just pack up and leave either or they would think something was up."
"I won't leave you to deal with this alone, Wynn. But I do caution you going forward. If you have a cellphone, I will need to access it so I can make sure they didn't tap into it. You don't have a house phone, do you?"
She shakes her head, "I do have a laptop though."
"Next time we meet, I'll take you to my ship. Bring both with you and I will place a security firewall in both. That will give you more privacy and protection."
"When are we going to meet again? We can't do it daily like we have been, well, not unless you show up at night."
Uly nods, "Already thinking of ways to get me in your bed again?"
Wynn giggles, shoving at his shoulder. "No! Take this seriously, Uly. This could go bad for both of us."
"I know which is why I was so glad to see you standing in front of me. I worried that you wouldn't show, that they had come back and taken you away."
"Yeah, I could tell you were relieved. That kiss was something else."
He pulled her in close, hugging her again. "I will admit that the more I see you naked like this, the more difficult it gets to think."