Page 78 of The Alien's Private Redemption

Personal things,she sent, her thoughts tinged with heat and embarrassment.

If Ae-cha is going to find all the triggers, she may have to see those.

But then she'll know.

What will she know?

Angela blushed and turned to bury her face against his chest. For a brave, stoic, strong woman, the gesture was oddly sweet and endearing.

Zoric refused to pry but he suspected he knew the topic she didn't want to talk about. Now wasn't the time but he hoped they got a chance soon, to explore and answer all the questions she had. Even with their Bond, attraction wasn't guaranteed, and there were often women who could not get past their partners appearance.

And he wondered if he had the tools to make that acceptance easier.

Chapter 15

Angela took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of Zoric. It was tinged with panic, anger, and something else she didn't want to try and identify just yet. And it was better than the best cologne she'd ever smelled.

Cuddling into him while he held her made Angela feel oddly feminine. That he was letting her hide her face from a room of potentially hostile people was even better. She didn't know why but she felt like she'd been rubbed raw inside and out.

"Private McBride?" Ae-cha called and Angela realized they'd asked her another question.

You can say you're not up to it,Zoric sent.

Not up to what?she asked him, reluctant to admit she had been smelling him instead of listening.

To letting Ae-cha search for triggers in some of your memories without having to go through the process with Dr. Phillips involved.

Oh.She didn't want Ae-cha rooting around in her head anymore.

If she's cutting out the doctor, she's trying to get away with something,the voice in the back of her head insisted.You can't let her do that. She'll hurt you.

"I'm not sure I'm up for it," Angela said, putting all her exhaustion in her voice. "My brain is still kinda raw and I didn't get near enough sleep."

"And sounding the warning took a lot out of you," Zoric agreed.

"Have we heard if the base was actually attacked?" Angela asked. "I know it followed us for a while but have we heard if it doubled back and hit the base?"

"We'll have to ask the Colonel when he returns," Dr. Phillips said. She sounded exhausted but the ever-present edge of anger was no longer in her voice.

"Do you think it's likely?" Ae-cha asked. "None of the rest of us noticed the vibrations when you did which speaks to it being something you're likely to have more information about than we will."

It wasn't an accusation but Angela could suddenly feel the walls closing in on her. Did they think she was faking it? Warning them about something that didn't exist? The Colonel had evacuated them from the base and watched the disturbances in the sand from the helicopter with her. Whatever they thought she had done, Angela knew he believed her.

"I could feel the wall shaking while I was asleep," she said, defensive. "Colonel Schuh said they'd caught something on the instruments but it didn't look like anything they recognized."

"Then it wasn't in your imagination," Zoric told her.

"Of course," Ae-cha said. "We all heard the explanation. And we believe it. We just have less experience with that kind of disturbance."

Her people have tunneling technology that my people could only dream of,Zoric told her across their Bond.And they know what it looks like on human systems because they cheat and look.

Angela suppressed a smile but sent the amusement she was feeling back to him. He returned the sentiment with a hug and a warm feeling of acceptance and an emotion she wasn't willing to name. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

"Be that as it may," Dr. Torres said. "I still think it would be helpful if Ae-cha could look for more triggers, maybe try and find a pattern to them. A psychic fingerprint? Whatever it would be that would set apart the malicious commands from the more benign ones."

"Agreed," Dr. Phillips said. "Though I worry about taking some of the controls off the process. We had observers for a reason."

"I'm an observer," Dr. Torres said. "We don't have cameras but I can be considered a reliable witness and I'm willing to record my observations. And Dr. Phillips can still direct the questioning."

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