Page 24 of Alien Protector's Mate

Sliding from his stool at the counter, Jay ducked his head sheepishly.

“Right. I’ll just…get settled then. Thank you. For…” He motioned around them and then to the food. “Everything.”

S’aad inclined his head. “You are most welcome.”

With that, he turned on his heel and strode from the room, box of pastries in hand.

The doorhissed shut behind the big alien, leaving Jade alone in the suddenly too-quiet space. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, her shoulders sagging as the tension drained from her body.

“I’ll never understand men,” she muttered softly. She’d heard the line in the rom-coms she’d watched in the library and never really understood it before. But then, she’d never met that many men. The Morgans had kept her away from everyone, not wanting to risk losing their golden goose. Taking in foster kids was all well and good, but they tended to do inconvenient things like age out of the system. But an adult dependent they could use to milk the system for years… that was worth protecting. They couldn’t risk letting her near anyone who would realize that she wasn’t a dependent at all. So the only place they’d let her go other than the local store was the library, and then only in the day when few people were around.

Memories of those stolen moments in the library washed through her. Old Mrs. Withenby’s stern face, lined with disapproval as she caught Jade watching something other than educational programs. The guilt that had gnawed at her gut, warring with the desperate need to see something—anything—that resembled the normal, happy life that she’d never have.

Shaking her head, she banished the memories. She was here now, miles away from that life. She had to focus on the present, on surviving here and now.

With a sigh, she pushed herself away from the table to gather up her dirty dishes. S’aad had been good enough to cook something for her, so the least she could do was make sure he didn’t return to a mess. Rounding the huge kitchen counter, she padded over to the sink, the weight of the bowl in her hands oddly comforting and familiar.

As she washed up, her mind wandered to the job S’aad had offered her. No, not her. He’d offered Jay Ashfield a job. She worried at her lower lip as she rinsed the dishes in cold water and set them on the draining board before looking around for a towel. Could she really pull this off? Could she pretend to be a boy, day in and day out?

Her stomach clenched with anxiety, but she really didn’t have any choice. S’aad thought she was a boy. She couldn’t reveal who she really was. The first thing he’d do would probably be to march her to that breeding program and give her to some other alien warrior. Or keep her for himself.

Her cheeks burned at that thought as she dried the dishes and then turned to put them away, only to be stumped by the height of the cupboards. Even on her tiptoes, she couldn’t quite reach. A frustrated huff escaped her lips as she set the bowls and utensils neatly on the counter. Was everything here built for damn giants? She’d never felt as much like a child since she’d leftchildhood behind years ago as she did since she’d come to the station.

With nothing left to do, she explored the apartment. Now that S’aad wasn’t here, his overwhelming presence taking up all the space, she felt a little more at ease. Her fingers trailed along the smooth surfaces of the alien furniture. It all looked so familiar but then not, all at the same time.

She yawned widely, the events of the day catching up with her. She should get some sleep before S’aad returned. That way she would be awake and aware during the night. Slipping into the bathroom, she searched the vanity cupboards to find alien versions of a toothbrush and some kind of minty paste. She brushed her teeth thoroughly, savoring the crisp, sharp taste so different from the cheap paste she’d had to use before.

As she rinsed, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and froze. A stranger stared back at her. Her hair was still under her cap, and her face was thinner than she remembered with dark circles under wary eyes. Her clothes hung loosely on her frame, hiding her curves.

Then exhaustion crashed over her like a wave, and she stumbled out of the bathroom, her limbs feeling leaden and uncoordinated. The bed in the spare room called to her, tempting her to crawl onto its padded surface and let sleep claim her. But old habits died hard, and the ingrained need for safety overrode her desire for comfort. Dragging the covers off the bed, she pulled them over to the closet and opened it up.

She smiled softly. It was way bigger than the closet she’d been forced to sleep in at the Morgans, little more than a covered-over balcony that had been closed in with wood. She’d all but frozen in the winter, baked in the summer, and never been able to stretch out properly. This one, though, was a palace by comparison.

With the ease of long practice, she crawled in and made a small barricade with the boxes in there. Using the spare blankets, she made a little nest, hidden from view if anyone opened the closet door. It wasn’t the most comfortable arrangement, but it made her feel secure in a way the open expanse of the bed never could.

She settled down and sighed. She was warm, her belly was full, and for the first time in longer than she could remember, she felt relatively safe.

Questions about S’aad swirled in her mind… Who was he meeting tonight? Was he really on the level? Was this job real or some kind of cruel joke?

She didn’t have the answers or even the mental energy to ponder them much. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, curled up in her hidden nest with the taste of chocolate still lingering on her tongue and the memory of piercing green eyes following her into her dreams.

9

Jay was… an odd one.

S’aad frowned as he made his way through the station’s corridors to his cousin’s quarters. What on Lathar would prompt a youngling to leave their home planet and risk coming to a station filled with unknown alien beings? So far, the Krin hadn’t found a way to get this far into human-held space, but that didn’t mean that other species didn’t act as intermediaries, trafficking the soft little humans for the carnivorous species’ food stores. S’aad turned the corner, shuddering at the thought of what would happen should even a single Krin get aboard the station. It would be an absolute bloodbath.

The lights in the corridor changed hue, and he hissed between his teeth. He’d lost track of time with Jay, and now he was late, something he hated to be. It irked him beyond measure when others were late, so he always made sure to extend the same courtesy. Usually. Tightening his grip on the box of pastries, he walked faster.

It didn’t take him much longer to reach his destination. He paused for a moment in front of Vaarn’s door, pulling hisjacket into place and running a hand through his braided hair, the honor beads clinking softly against each other. The sound grounded him as he pressed the door chime.

The door slid open almost instantly to reveal Sadie, his cousin’s mate. She smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling with welcome. “S’aad! We were starting to wonder if you’d gotten lost on the way.”

S’aad winced as he stepped inside. The smell of whatever Sadie was cooking filled the air, making his mouth water. He didn’t know much about human food, but what he’d had, he liked.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “I had a somewhat…unexpected encounter. I hope I haven’t delayed dinner too much.”

Sadie waved off his concern with a soft laugh as she led him through to the main living space. “Not at all. Vaarn’s just been pacing like a caged beast. You know how he gets when he’s hungry.”

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