“I don’t feel very well.”

It was an understatement. The room was spinning, and a sea of nausea churned in my stomach. Unrest and turmoil wreaked havoc inside my mind, where I was screaming. On the outside, everything was numb and fuzzy.

Did I really just commit to marrying a bearded, seven-foot-tall, purple-skinned alien with a red braid?

Holy shit. I did.

The papers were signed. There was no denying it now. My signature was splashed out and scribbled across all the pages. How the hell could I have been so stupid?

My vision blurred, and I heard Katie mumbling something in a garbled-up tone. It was probably because my senses weren’t functioning the way they were supposed to at the moment.

If I passed out, I only hoped one of the three of them would catch me if I fell. My legs were wobbly and felt like Jell-O. How was I ever going to get out of this? I had just signed my life away without even realizing what was happening until it was too late.

Soon after, the inevitable occurred. I knew I was going to pass out before it happened. The turbulence of my shock and disbelief kicked in at warp speed. The first body part affected was my legs. They turned to mush and gave out from under me. With a distressed cry, I braced myself for impact with the floor.

Before I fell, I felt strong, sturdy arms catch me in a warm and affectionate embrace. In the next instant, my mind went dark, and I succumbed to the horror of the moment as darkness consumed me. That was it. I was drifting through oblivion now. I was out cold to the world around me.

* * *

I woke up to something that smelled like burning incense wafting in my nostrils. I dared to peel open one eye, then the other. The room was lit by lanterns and candles and plush red velvet. The world was a blank canvas. If only it could have stayed like that.

For a brief, halting moment, I was encompassed in a blissful and serene quiet that I couldn’t explain. Something about the ambiance of the room blanketed me in an envelope of peacefulness.

Then, my memory roared to the surface. Everything came back to me in a screaming flash of agony. The fact that I had signed my life away to a huge purple alien was surreal and brutally real at the same time. My anxiety pushed its way to the threats and torments of my mind.

I attempted to push words to my throat, but they came out slurred and a little croaky. I was shell-shocked, to say the least. I was trying to regain control of my emotions and my body.

“Where . . . where am I?” I hoisted myself up on my elbows, propping myself to absorb my surroundings. I squinted and blinked under the brutally harsh light.

I was on a bed, contained within the confines of comfortable, cozy surroundings and the soft red sheets. If not for the circumstances, I might have been able to curl back up and tuck myself in for another long nap.

I shrieked when I noticed Kylin towering above me, staring at me as if I was an insect to study and digest. He seemed curious as he loomed over me, as if he were trying to figure me out. He was intrigued as he inspected me. I felt uncomfortable the longer his eyes lingered on me. I felt like I was on display.

“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you, I promise.” Kylin attempted to stroke my cheek but I instinctively batted his hand away. I didn’t know this guy or what he planned to do with me.

“Please, don’t . . . touch me.” I cringed and recoiled, then felt slightly guilty as his face collapsed with wounded pride. I had apparently hurt his feelings.

“I’m sorry.” I rubbed my throbbing temples and the horrendous headache looming in the back of my mind. “I’m just a little freaked out, that’s all.” I blew out a frustrated puff of air and sagged my wilting body back into the pillows.

“I’m just as stunned as you,” Kylin admitted.

I furrowed my brow. “You didn’t know I was being set up for an arranged marriage?” Somehow, I found that hard to believe.

Kylin shook his head with adamant vigor. “Absolutely not. I never would have agreed to it had I known you were being tricked.” His voice sounded genuine.

“Ugh.” I groaned and leaned back on the plush and wonderful pillows as if I never wanted to peel myself away from them. This bed was completely amazing, and I never wanted to leave it. I could only dream of having a bed this fantastic back at home.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t my home or my bed, and I had to find out how to leave and go back home to Earth. I couldn’t stay here, not under any circumstances. There had to be a way out of this pickle.

“My brother is such a fucking dick.” I sighed with furious exasperation. I wanted to kill the bastard.

Kylin raised his eyebrows as if he wasn’t used to a woman speaking with such foul language.

“Sorry.” I winced. “It’s just . . .” Oh, fuck it. I didn’t have to explain myself to a big, buff alien. “You know what? Do you have any Tylenol or something?”

Kylin looked puzzled. “I thought I was fairly fluent myself in English, but you’ll have to remind me again what Tylenol is.” He chuckled sheepishly.

“Medicine,” I told him. “You know, like for a headache?” I gave him a patronizing glance.

His eyes brightened with understanding. “Ah, yes. I have something that will do just the trick.”

“Thanks.” I attempted to give him at least a wan smile, then I yawned. I saw that the poor guy was trying.

I didn’t want to act like a huge bitch to him, but I didn’t want him to think I was relenting to this bogus marriage idea either.

“I’ll be right back.” He had an expression of purpose on his face as he jumped up and scurried away from the room in a flash.

“Okay,” I mumbled under my breath, still not entirely understanding why the hell I was in this bedroom. I should be at an airport, ready to go home.

A few seconds later, Kylin returned carrying two tiny white pills and a tall glass of tepid water. He held out his hand with a kind smile and I retrieved the items. I held the pills in my hand but hesitated briefly. “How do I know this isn’t something that will harm me?” I was skeptical, to say the least.

“I can take them myself,” Kylin suggested after pondering for a moment.

“No, it’s okay.” I shook my head and decided to gulp them down. It couldn’t hurt anyway. I was stuck here. I didn’t think he would attempt to kill me or harm me if he wanted me to be his wife, because that wouldn’t make any sense.

“I am glad you woke up. You scared me for a few minutes there.” His eyes were kind but for some reason, that annoyed me further.

“Where are we, exactly?” I questioned him.

“My palace,” he stated affirmatively.

“So, we are at the place I thought I would be teaching children?” I laughed at the irony of my life.

“Yes, and I will take care of you.” His expression was thoughtful. He must be the kind of guy who thinks he’s God’s gift to women.

“Well, I appreciate the effort, but I’ll probably be okay.” I smiled shyly. I had to talk him out of this little arrangement, and fast.

I calmed down from the brink of self-disastrous implosion thanks to Kylin’s hospitality and relaxing ambiance. The fuming rage inside the pit of my stomach still threatened to boil over for what my brother and his brainwashed girlfriend had done to me . . . and apparently, Kylin too.

I chuckled with bitter and sour resentment. I couldn’t believe what had happened. Most of all, I hated myself for being so unfathomably stupid.

“What is it?” Kylin tenderly touched my shoulder, and this time, I allowed him the access. I didn’t squirm away at the skin to skin contact. In fact, it felt sort of . . . nice.

“Nothing.” I shook my head. “Just my asshole brother and his schemes. I don’t know why I was such a fool to think I could qualify for a free pass against them.”

“He told me you were answering an ad to become my wife.”

Kylin appeared so hurt by the cruel joke that my heart swelled with sorrow for him. He hung his head with such disappointment that I really felt as if I should comfort him in some way.

“Yeah, he told me I was responding to an ad to teach English to Mixian children.” I laughed. What a jerk he was.

Kylin smiled at me. “That explains why we both were so confused during the questions portion of the interview.”

I erupted into laughter. “You are telling me. I had no idea why everyone seemed so interested in gathering information about my hair and eye color, as well as physical features. Now I know.”

We laughed together, and I determined that maybe Kylin wasn’t so terrible after all and that my brother deserved all the credit for being a monstrous asshole. He would pay for this. I would make damn sure of that.

That being said, there was no way I could agree to marry Kylin. At the end of the day, he was still a foreign alien living on a different planet. I had no connection to him other than for meeting him and talking to him for less than an hour so far. I didn’t know anything about him, and I was virtually a stranger to him too.

“Thank you for being so sympathetic and gracious during this whole process,” I praised him. I had to admit, this situation could be way worse right now.

“You’re welcome.” He nodded with kindness. “I am just as befuddled as you are as to why we were the subjects of this terrible prank.” He shook his head as if he were trying to pull the answers from somewhere in the back of his mind.

“That’s Chad for you,” I said and tried to get out of the bed. “He is a sociopath through and through. He doesn’t care about anybody but himself and his prank ratings.”

“Where are you going?” Kylin held up a hand and my heart raced. Was he going to try and keep me here? His eyes looked concerned.

“I don’t feel like lying down anymore.” I treaded my words carefully because I didn’t want to put him on the defensive. I didn’t know if he would lock me in a dungeon or something if he thought that I might have the potential to be a flight risk.

“Are you sure you are okay?” His eyes were genuinely laced with concern, as if he thought I would hurt myself if I moved around too much.

“I promise.” I nodded, trying to calm my racing heart, and my throat became dry. I wanted to sound convincing to him because I still wanted my freedom.

“Okay.” He moved off the bed and allowed me to stand beside him. He gave me a sad smile.

“So, what do we do now?” I shrugged and chuckled with sheepishness. The moment between us was quite awkward.

“What would you like to do?” Kylin asked with innocence, as if the world was my oyster.

I wondered if I named anything, if he would jump to get it for me. I had a feeling that requesting to go home wouldn’t be on the list of permissible activities.

“No, I mean about my brother.” I shook my head and laughed. I still had revenge on my brain.

“Oh.” Kylin gazed up at the ceiling. “We need to try and get him back somehow.”

“He is going to pay for this. I’ll make sure of it.” My lips curled into a devious smile.

“Would you like to join me downstairs for some coffee or something?” I didn’t know if he was trying to change the subject, but the distraction was actually welcoming, in my opinion. I wanted something normal like coffee.

“I’d love that, actually.” I rubbed my belly. “I wasn’t aware of the fact that I haven’t had anything to drink in a really long time until you just mentioned it. I would love the refreshment of a coffee. I need a booster to wake up.”

“Absolutely. We have anything you’d like.” He opened the door, and we stepped out into a hallway. “Come with me,” he beckoned.

I followed Kylin and we halted in front of the most magnificent and grandiose staircase I’d ever seen. Everything was beautiful, expensive-looking, and posh.

“Wow,” I muttered.

“You like?” Kylin beamed. He knew exactly what I was staring at in awe.

“Impressive, to say the least,” I joked.

“Thank you. I live in this house all alone except for my servants, so it’s nice to have some company every now and then.”

I studied his sad, lonely eyes. He needed a companion, yes . . . but perhaps with someone else whom he could get to know beforehand. This wasn’t exactly a love story I wanted to tell my future children.

“Shall we?” He gestured for me to ascend first.

“Sure,” I said and trotted down the steps. I couldn’t wait to see the rest of this grandiose place.

We entered a huge formal foyer laden with gold, crystal, and glass everywhere. I was afraid to touch anything.

“This room by itself probably costs more than my entire apartment back home,” I joked. “It’s quite extraordinary.” I glanced around, admiring all the fixtures.

“Follow me to the kitchen,” he said and led the way.

His kitchen was as grand and enormous as I had ever seen, intricately decorated with soft white and gold colors, complete with a marble-topped island directly in the center.

I sat down at one of the barstools as he prepared coffee for us. The cushion was plush and comfortable. I could get used to a life like this, but I still wanted to take things slowly at first.

“Thanks.” I took the hot cup gratefully and breathed in the remarkable scent of the coffee beans.

I clutched the mug with two hands, allowing the warmth to comfort me on such a mystifying and traumatic day. Coffee was the one familiar thing I could connect to.

“Can I get you anything else?” He sat down next to me as if he wanted nothing more than to serve and please me.

“No, thank you.” I shook my head and gave him a polite, warm smile. “This is perfect.”

“You are a teacher back home on Earth?” He asked me in a conversational tone.

“Yep.” I nodded and smiled up at him. “I love teaching kids. They are so innocent and adorable. They are pure and kind. I wish everyone could have the mentality to view the world like a child,” I admitted.

“You teach Mixian?” He asked with curiosity.

“I do. I love it, and the children are always so keen and eager to learn.” I smiled nostalgically, thinking about how much passion I had for my career.

Kylin opened his mouth to respond but he was interrupted by a sound at the front door. He stood and shot a confused glance my way before he walked to the front. From the expression on his face, he wasn’t expecting any guests.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be a moment.”

“No problem.” I waved my hand as if to shrug it off as no big deal. “Take your time.” It wasn’t any of my business who was at his door.

A few seconds later, I heard familiar voices that made me cringe and tremble with apprehensive and weary dread. This couldn’t be happening. The nightmare was never-ending.

Chad’s voice was the first voice I heard. He was laughing so hard, I thought at first he might be crying. I jumped up from my seat at the kitchen island. I was ready to pounce on him like a feisty, angry alley cat. Yes, my claws were out. I roared in anger as soon as I saw his lazy, disheveled face.

“Chad!” I screamed and shouted, balling my fists. “What the fuck have you done to me? You have turned my world upside down, you asshole! What do you have to say for yourself?”

He didn’t appease me with an answer. He looked amused and entertained by my pain and suffering. He really was a sociopathic jerk.

Meanwhile, Katie held the holocam over her shoulder, documenting this monstrous encounter on film. I wanted to slap the smirk right off her fairylike, elfish face. These people lived to torment me.

“Please don’t video me.” I held my hands up over my face defensively to shield my emotional scars. I didn’t want to reveal anything to them or give them any usable footage.

“Keep doing it Katie.” Chad bellowed with laughter and slapped his knee with delight.

“How did you even get here?” I asked, completely dumbfounded.

“By transport, of course.” Chad looked at me as if I was a total idiot. I exchanged a glance with Kylin, who was fuming. His eyes were narrowed in unmistakable loathing for Chad and Katie.

It was clear he had no idea they would show up at his doorstep. I’d wondered where his guards were and how these two idiots could have snuck past them.

One thing was clear. Kylin and I would unite to take them down. They would crash and burn for what they’d done. I hadn’t brainstormed a plan yet, but the storms would come. Eventually.