Transfixed, Stage 1: Connection

Captain Michiko Sato is quite literally in an impossible situation. Her ship has been attacked by another vessel under the command of mind-controlling alien “ticks,” and now their human slaves are after her crew. Still worse, those slaves came from her husband’s ship, and he’s at the head of the brainwashed attack force. It’s not that slavery has turned Alec into her enemy; he still loves her. He just wants her to join him in the bliss of thralldom.

Here's a sample:

"Alec?" said Michiko. He was standing right in front of her, nude aside from patches of silvery gel....
But she couldn't look at that for very long, because the real horrors lurked above the gel. Her husband's eyes had rolled up so far that she could see only the barest blue sliver of iris; and a…a monster…had spread itself across his head and forehead. The thing's body was white, chitinous, and divided into eight narrow segments. Its scorpion-like tail curled backwards over the top of Alec's head and seemed (Michiko prayed she was wrong) to be buried in his skull, while its head was level with Alec's nose. Its multi-jointed legs – sixteen in all – pressed against, or possibly through, Alec's temples and other sensitive spots around his face.
The creature raised its head on a narrow stalk-like neck and looked at Michiko. Its eyes were blue-black and fathomless....
She looked at his face again, and a sudden, horrible though struck her. Although she couldn't raise her arms, she could blink and frown, and by doing so she was able to confirm that there was an alien like Alec's on her own head. "Alec," she said tightly, "get this thing off me."
He flashed his most charming smile, but it didn't work without his eyes, and she sensed that he wasn't really the one smiling anyway. "Sorry, sweetheart," He said. "We can't resist our owners." His voice was softer than usual, but the ecstasy she heard in it sounded all too real.
Michiko ground her teeth. "These things are not our owners. They're aliens – enemies – slavers!"
"Poor Michiko," said Alec. He still hadn't lowered his eyes, but she could swear he was looking at her. Maybe the alien was looking at her for him. "I know you're scared, but don't worry. You'll feel better just as soon as your owner connects to you."
She could guess what that meant. "Look at me, Alec! Do I look like I want to feel better? Look at me!"
His upturned eyes didn't waver. "I can't, darling. I'm in such ecstasy that it's all I can do just to stay my feet. But that's all right because my owner keeps me focused. It even sees the things I can't and feeds the images into my brain, so there's nothing to worry about. Really, sweetie, it's okay. You're going to feel just as good as I do before long."

This ebook is not only a story in itself, but it’s also prelude to a “Plot Your Own Adventure.” In Stage 2 of “Transfixed,” you’ll be able to play some of these characters, rescue others, and (if you’re clever enough) stop the tick invasion for good.