Page 4 of His Brazen Bride

Where are Lacey and Iris?

I let out a squeak, and quickly cover my mouth. At least my arm still works.

The colored lights above me come into focus, but I’m still not sure what the lines and shapes represent. Words, maybe? In another language? No,diagrams…that seem to pulse and move along with my heartbeat and my breath.

The voices have stopped. All I can hear now is the soft hum of machines.

I turn my head to look around.

Woah.

It’s definitely some sort of medical room, but unlike anything I’ve ever seen in a hospital. Everything’s smooth and metallic, and instead of screens displaying data and vitals, laser lights map information in 3D.

“She’s awake,” says the deep voice. Weird. I can understand it, but the words are definitelynotEnglish.

“Oh goody, let’s get the probe ready,” says the higher pitched voice.

Probe?!I turn toward the voices and let out a yelp.

An octopus-like creature with four arms and hands, and four legs, withshoeson its feet, rolls its black and yellow marble eyes. “Don’t joke like that. She’s obviously afraid.”

I push myself up, still trying to figure out where I am. And who these beings are! I pull at the silky fabric barely covering my body. It’s unlike anything I can place—stretchy and shiny, but soft as a T-shirt. Why is it so crazy short?

I swing my legs over the side of the platform as the other creature smiles—at least, I think it’s a smile. His mouth is barely a slit in his long, thin face. He reminds me of Squidward fromSpongeBob SquarePants, minus the big, floppy nose. He’s a sickly blue-green color, while the octopus is brick red. And despite the octopus not having a visible mouth, IknowI heard him speak?—

My brain hurts.

Never mind. I need to get out of here. No one’s going to probeme! I jump up, swaying on my feet before regaining my balance. What looks like a door is across the way, off to the right.

“No need to be alarmed, Gwen. We won’t hurt you,” says the octopus.

How does he know my name?

This is too much.

Squidward and the octopus move closer to me and I bolt, making a run for the door. There’s no handle, of course, only a box with buttons and lights next to it. I smash them all at once.

Miraculously, the door gives way.

“Gwen, wait!” calls Squidward.

I cast a look over my shoulder at them as I run forward and slam right into a tree, or possibly areallylumpy wall.

Whatever it is, I’m on the ground, struggling for air, blinking up at the lights again.

“I’m guessing this is the female?” says the tree/wall, standing over me. It seems a million feet tall, the deep, rough voice crawling down my spine and settling low in my belly. I want to roll around in it. Why would trees or walls have such arousing voices?

As he looks down at me (yeah, this thinghasto be male), I suck in a breath.

Electric blue eyes, larger and more vibrant than any human’s, stare down at me from a strikingly handsome face. His features are strong and defined, with a chiseled jaw, prominent brow, and a firm, masculine mouth. His physique is muscular and perfectly sculpted. His skin and hair shimmer with a glossy, coppery sheen. It’s like he’s made of one of those fancy frying pans.

His ears are elfin, long and pointed, rising high toward the crown of his head, adding to his otherworldly appearance. He’s dressed in tight, flexible material that stretches across his broad chest and massive frame, accentuating his powerful build, including the…oh my…hefty bulge at his crotch.

It’s as if someone blended Conan the Barbarian and Legolas together, then dipped the whole creation in liquid copper.

“Yes, Commander,” I hear the octopus say. “Her name is Gwen MacKinley.”

“Gwen.” My insides squirm with excitement when the sexy alien says my name.

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