Page 35 of Angel Unchained

Samantha

Three hours later, I was landing on a small refugee planet called Ambrosia. Alva had gotten me a temporary visa and loan to stay here and the name of a good lawyer who saw cases like mine. The entire spaceship ride, I kept feeling like someone was watching me. Like the hairs on the back of my neck would stand straight up. But when I glanced behind me, it was only other passengers. No Knox. No Angeliminir.

Disappointment churned in my gut. Half of me had hoped that Knox would chase after me. Declare his undying love and we’d live happily ever after. I let out a snort that made the back of my eyes burn. Like that would ever happen.

No, it was better this way. Him on his world and me starting over.

The planet was a grassland with crops of greenhouses sprinkled in villages like a communal site. All types of aliens were here including a few humans. One was a Roulex that blinked when it saw me and my heart seized. But it turned away, not recognizing me, its tail severed.

I swallowed down the bitter taste in the back of my mouth. My stomach still upset from the trip over here.

After I paid for lodging, I crashed into the bed. Tears falling freely and my heart breaking all over again.

One week later,I ran up to the arriving spaceship eager for news. Jonkas, my new lawyer, had returned from court. His blue skin rippled, shifting to a darker color. “You can return to Earth without fear.”

“Really?” I straightened in my chair. I had wanted to go in person, but the Virlex lawyer had said it was best to stay here. That too many humans had been abducted on their way to Earth with the growing more and more scarce. “What happened?”

“It was an illegal operation. The Nebobite student you were teaching to drive was an adult in disguise.”

“Wait. What?”

“Yes, he and his family stage an accident of some sort. Blame the human, who then gets sent to a breeding prison, and they walk away with money in their pockets. Along with the judge.”

I pulled him aside as more passengers exited the spaceship. “What about my ex-boss, Mr. Simmons?”

Jonkas sighed. “I’m afraid he was in on it too. They promised him a portion of the cash and the Roulex threw in a deal for him.”

“And he took it, bastard.” I fumed. Simmons had sold me like I was a fucking slave. “I’m going to kill him.”

“Hush.” Jonkas grabbed my arm, pulling me further away from the spaceship. “You don’t know anything about this. You had nothing to do with it, okay? As your lawyer, I only got your debt and warrant for your arrest revoked… nothing more.” His blue skin was now a pale blue like he was going to be sick.

A coldness wrapped around me. “What are you saying?”

Knox came around the edge of the spaceship and my heart stopped. “He’s saying that the Nebobites and Simmons will never be able to hurt you again.”

I straightened, clenching my fists at my sides. “What are you doing here?”

“Excuse me.” Jonkas hustled away and into the local tavern.

“You’re looking well. I missed you.”

“No.” I lifted my chin, angry that tears were prickling my eyes. “You don’t get to say things like that to me. Not now, not ever.”

He took a step toward me and my breath hitched in my throat. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. That I had to have Reganald cloak us and follow you here to see what you would do.”

“Wait. You were on the ship here?” That feeling I’d felt. God, another stalker and so not what I needed. “Go back home, Knox, to your wife. I’m over you.”

There. Even kept my voice steady and my eyes from watering. Though I felt like shit inside.

He looked abashed with a bluish tint to his cheeks. His horns gleaming in the orange sun and his silver eyes never leaving mine. He took in a ragged breath. “Alva forbade me from telling you—until we were sure you weren’t working for the Roulex.”

“Why do you believe me now then?” I crossed my arms.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “When I first met you, I thought you were a spy sent in to tempt me. But then I got to know you and realized I was wrong. You were innocent.”

“Thanks for nothing, I guess. I can’t believe you thought I lied to you. I never have.”

He winced. “I know, I know. But you were only in prison for a few days. I was there for over two years. Beatings and losing my mind. They’d tried everything to get me to breed.”

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