Page 23 of Sublime Target

He evoked something in her—a feeling she didn’t quite understand. A weird rush of excitement, the way one might feel before jumping off a precipice with a bungee rope attached.

She’d always been the cautious type, but with a real-live Kordolian right in front of her, her curiosity was piqued.

Right now, she didn’t care about the how or why of it.

Suddenly, she wanted to pick Jerik Garul’s brains.

Who was he, really?

What made him tick?

Was this veneer of civility just a facade, or was he really different from how Earth’s media portrayed Kordolians?

She couldn’t deny it; part of her found him weirdly attractive, even though he was pretty much the complete opposite of the guys she’d dated in the past.

Maybe that’s why she was so intrigued by him.

“Clarissa,” he said suddenly, and she couldn’t be sure, but it almost looked like he was smiling beneath his mask. “You don’t have to feel intimidated by us. I’m very well aware of how many humans may perceive us, but I can assure you, there is no threat to you from us whatsoever. Our dealings are with your boss. I know you’re just doing your duty, and believe me, I know how hard it can be to please a master whose methods you don’t always agree with.”

“Y-you do?” Clarissa blurted without thinking. She couldn’t imagine this man being answerable to anyone.

Jerik’s eyes crinkled ever so slightly—he was smiling, wasn’t he? “My current boss isn’t like that, but I have served under many, and there were those who never stepped outside their own enclaves. They were the most difficult ones.”

Clarissa’s eyes widened in surprise. Was he a mind-reader?

There was no way she was going to start feeling solidarity with the alien commander.

So she chose to ignore his scarily astute observation. “I would be delighted to take you to the viewing platform at the top of the tower. It has a three-sixty-degree view of the city and the harbor.”

“Very well,” Jerik rumbled.

Both his sidekicks gave the commander an indecipherable look.

Mavrel cleared his throat. “I’m not exactly fond of heights or sunshine.” Something appeared in his hand—a small black tech-device of some sort. “With your permission, Sir, I’ll stay here and do some work.”

Kai stood abruptly. “I have some business to attend to in this part of town. I’ll make a quick detour and return in an hour.”

She turned to Jerik. “Do you have somewhere you need to be as well, Mr Garul?”

The Kordolian shrugged. “No.”

Of course he didn’t.

“Well, I suppose it’ll be just you and me, then.”

His indecipherable expression sent a little shiver of anticipation through her. “Indeed.”

ELEVEN

The situation had played right into his hands.

Jerik found himself in an advantageous position. Suddenly, unexpectedly, he had an opportunity to be alone with her.

It certainly helped that Kainan and Mavrel were tuned in to his demands; they’d immediately understood the situation and found reasons to be elsewhere.

He stood and made his way around the table to where Clarissa was.

She regarded him with a look that was equal parts trepidation and curiosity.

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