Page 26 of The Alien's Private Redemption

"Who made these other plans for you?" Dr. Phillips asked.

Angela's lungs seized and she fought the panic that came with the lack of breath. Zoric's hand on the back of her neck sent chills up and down her spine just before his mouth crashed down on hers to force air back into her lungs.

Moments later, she could feel Ae-cha's presence sifting through her memories and what felt like a hook being released from her subconscious. Her brain stung like she'd been snapped by a rubberband and the intrusive presence of the female Chelion was gone as well.

She took a deep breath and felt Zoric's lips soften on hers for a long moment before he pulled away. When she opened her eyes, her chest burned with every breath and her gaze caught on the shift in Zoric's face. It was still him, the green scales still shifted with every movement, but his mouth and nose had reformed to more human shapes.

"What happened?" Dr. Phillips asked.

"We found one of the triggers," Ae-cha said. "And it was ugly."

Chapter 12

Zoric was stunned by the look in Angela's eyes before he caught what Ae-cha had said. Desire burned there along with confusion, a feeling he felt echoed across their bond.

"You removed a trigger?" he asked, turning to look at the other Chelion.

"I did," Ae-cha confirmed. "It was wrapped around an older, softer compulsion. And it was nasty. I've never seen anything quite like it."

"How do you feel?" Dr. Phillips asked Angela, who blinked hard before refocusing her attention on the human psychiatrist.

"My chest hurts when I breathe," she answered after a few moments. "But I can breathe. I feel like I've run a marathon and I want a long, hot shower, and a few shots of whiskey."

Zoric could feel her emotions shifting between terror and elation and he sympathized. Especially when he felt his facebegin to reform to its original shape. Everybody in the room stared at him while he changed.

"How did you do that?" Ae-cha demanded.

He shook his head. "I have no idea. I felt Angela start to panic and I knew what she needed. When I bent down to give her my breath, everything was the right shape. There was no thought involved, just instinct and need."

Angela yawned and Dr. Phillips stood.

"I think we should call it for today," the doctor said. "We've made significant progress and everyone is exhausted."

Ae-cha looked like she wanted to protest so Zoric stood and scooped Angela up in his arms. He was done with the cold, semi-sterile room, and the intrusion on his Bond. He could still feel Ae-cha probing for a way back into Angela's mind.

"Agreed," he said. "We've found a way forward and Angela needs to rest. I'll talk to Colonel Schuh about tomorrow's schedule once she's laying down."

"Zoric, you can't just-" Angela started to protest.

"I can and I will," he argued. "And if anybody wants to complain, they can take it up with me later."

Ae-cha shook her head and sighed. "You're right, Dr. Phillips, we're all tired. And I need some time to research what I saw in Private McBride's brain. If you'd like to go with me to report to Colonel Schuh, we can get it over with sooner rather than later."

Something in the way Dr. Phillips stiffened told Zoric she hadn't expected the invitation, and she may not have wanted it. After a moment of deliberation, she nodded.

"Very well," Dr. Phillips agreed. "The Colonel had asked for my observations and this is as good a time as any to give a verbal report."

She walked to the door and knocked, nodding to the soldier who opened the viewing hatch when he asked if they were done.

"Less to clean up today," Dr. Phillips said with a laugh in her voice. "And the room can be left as it is until tomorrow."

Zoric was shocked by the humor Dr. Phillips displayed. It was the most human thing he'd seen from her and he wasn't sure he believed it.

The door opened and he stopped worrying about the human doctor. His only focus was getting Angela to their room so she could take a shower and get something to eat. As much as she might want some alcohol, he wasn't going to allow her to drink before she had something on her stomach. She might not be able to feel how hungry her body was, but it was beating at him.

Without waiting for their escort, he followed his nose through the hallways, retracing his path to his room while Angela cuddled against his chest. Every step increased his urgency to get her away from everybody else and where he could take care of her.

She hadn't protested being carried like this, he thought, and that could only be another sign of just how drained she was. A brief probe at their Bond told him he was right, and that she was fighting to stay awake, now that they were out of the interrogation room.

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