Page 46 of Alien Haven

She certainly didn’t look scared. As Dolgra neared her, he figured out why…and the reason behind her initial embarrassedreaction. She carried the scent of being freshly showered, but a Kalquorian’s sexual aroma wasn’t so easily washed off.

I guess the barn saw more action than was advertised. She’s still seeing Dramok Ilid, I suppose. I wonder if it’s getting serious.

Keeping his expression and tone carefully neutral, he questioned her about the assault. Her description made it sound as if she’d been grabbed by a Kalquorian. While awful, it was a relief. Dolgra couldn’t imagine any of his species in his jurisdiction wanting to abduct her on behalf of Mercy or New Bethlehem, no matter how profitable the bounty was. Nor could he envisage the Earthtiques in control of those planets contracting with Kalquorians, in spite of how much they wanted to get their hateful hands on Charity.

Some asshole who deserves to have his dicks cut off and jammed down his throat thought he’d grab her. He tried to take what he couldn’t respectfully charm from a willing woman.A different rage danced in his mind. It was tempered by the possibility her real identity hadn’t been outed.

“I’m sorry a member of my community tried to hurt you, Matara,” he said. “I’ll do everything possible to track down the bastard and bring him to justice.”

“You don’t think my enemies realize who I am and paid someone to grab me?”

“I won’t discount the possibility. In fact, I’ll proceed from that assumption first, because it’s our chief worry. But if it were a Kalquorian, we’d have to also consider different reasons for the assault.”

Like Dolgra, Charity seemed to take comfort from the idea. Earthtiques were terrible indeed when a woman preferred the threat of sexual violence to being captured by zealots. In any event, Dolgra would discover who was behind the attempted confrontation and see to it the shithead paid.

When Charity disappeared into the house, Dolgra stepped in the barn. Deep shadows were nonexistent in its environment. When he’d alerted Dolgra of the attack, Nobek Groteg had also informed him he’d personally installed two strips of lighting fixtures a couple hours following Charity’s horrific encounter. He’d had the farmhands do the same in all the farm’s outbuildings to make sure no further violence would happen.

Groteg had investigated the barn himself, and Dolgra had no doubt Haven’s security chief and his team had been thorough. Nonetheless, he’d be remiss in failing to conduct his own survey.

He heard no one come in behind him, yet the air seemed to shift as he examined the inside of the building. “Don’t take it personally. I know you conducted an exhaustive search.”

“You wouldn’t be doing your job if you didn’t inspect it for yourself.” Groteg stepped beside him. He fairly vibrated danger.

Dolgra ignored the wishful tug in his chest and refused to look at the impressive figure next to him.Don’t go there.He’d already been stupid where Clan Amgar was concerned. He was unsure what had possessed him to give Sara the expensive bottle of bohut, but it had been dumb.

No Imdiko wants to live with someone so cold. I doubt a Nobek would either.Words snarled in the past had lost none of their vicious sting for Dolgra. Nor had the memory of the man who’d spoken them walking away, never to be seen again.

He’d been right. Dolgra wasn’t clanmate material in the slightest.

“Not working today?” His tone was light, hinting at none of his turmoil.

“The office will com me for anything important. I wanted to secure the farm as much as possible after what happened yesterday. The incident occurred next to the support beam.” Groteg pointed, then led Dolgra to the spot. “I found no real physical evidence despite the struggle, unfortunately. Just theshovel Charity picked up when she called the guy out. She lost the opportunity to use it when he tossed it away. He was quick.”

Kalquorian quick was the unspoken theory.

“She didn’t retreat when she realized she might be in danger? Brave. Foolish.” Dolgra’s tone held grudging admiration for Charity’s courage.

As Groteg had said, there was nothing to see in the immediate vicinity. Dolgra was impressed at how tidy the barn was. He caught a hint of the rank remnant of the spray the assailant had used in his attempt to knock the Earther out. Beneath it was the smell of humans and Kalquorians. No surprise, given Clan Amgar was composed of and employed both species.

Dolgra caught a stronger scent. His gaze swung to a pile of chicken feed bags.

Groteg chuffed amusement. “She has no fear of the barn in spite of what happened. At least she doesn’t when she’s in the company of a man who interests her.”

“Dramok Ilid?”

“Nobek Detodev. He insisted on taking a shift patrolling the grounds to watch for trouble. She joined him.”

“Detodev? Interesting. He’s a bit of a loner.” For good reason. Pacifist Nobeks weren’t popular, except as punching bags for other Nobeks…at least until Detodev demonstrated how anger could overcome his peaceful intentions. Pushed hard enough on a few occasions to fight back, he’d put his detractors on the ground in decidedly authoritative fashion. To save face, those who’d learned better than to try him had spread the rumor he was a coward. Many of the uninitiated believed it.

“Matara Charity is apparently hard to resist. Ilid and Imdiko Mitag buzz around her regularly too.”

“Ready-made clan.” Dolgra did his best to ignore the notion Clan Amgar was a similar case, should the right Dramok appear to attract them.

No Imdiko wants to live with someone so cold. I doubt a Nobek would either.Or a Matara. The mental images of Sara and Utber stung. As did the presence of the man standing at his side.

Forget it.

Groteg shrugged at his assessment of the potential of the young people forming a clan. “Charity isn’t enthralled by Haven. She’ll leave as soon as she can. I can’t see Detodev chasing her as a potential lifemate, no matter how attractive he finds her.”

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