Page 53 of The Alien's Private Redemption

"I did but I'm back visiting Mama for a few days. I brought someone to meet here, and you, and I have a favor to ask."

"A boy?" he asked. "I hadn't thought you'd find one out in the world."

"Not exactly a boy," she said. "And I don't think I would have found him anywhere else."

"And what is this favor you want to ask?"

"It's hard to explain like this," Angela started.

Her uncle's eyes turned green and she stared. "Then show me, Angela, descendent of the witch of the forest, let me see through your eyes what you cannot speak."

With those words, her mind relaxed, and Angela showed him everything that had happened over the last few months. Fear, anger, uncertainty, and love flowed through her in a rush she couldn't control.

Before she met Zoric, she would have had no idea what was happening. Now, she felt foolish for not realizing the truth all along.

When the story was out of her, his eyes changed, and softened. "My poor Angela. I do not know who is hunting you but I can the pain you have been in. I will be there tomorrow at dusk and we will discuss if your Mate is truly worthy of you."

"What about the rest?" she asked.

His eyes darkened. "We will discuss that, too."

Chapter 24

Zoric didn't know who was more intimidating, Angela's mother or her Uncle Saul.

By the time they were finished with him, he felt like he'd been dissected and put under a microscope, with parts of his entrails burned for good measure.

But he hadn't missed the tenderness in Saul's manner when he embraced Angela. He'd held her eyes for a long moment, his hands to either side of her face, and she'd sagged in relief. Something had moved through her like a cleansing rain and Zoric could feel the cool breeze that rippled out from them.

When Saul had beckoned him over to ask the question that had caused problems, Zoric nearly refused, until Angela nudged him across their Bond. If she trusted him, he would trust him, for her sake.

"Angela, who told you to disrupt the ceremony with Captain LaGrange and Damina?"

She thought about it, showing no signs of obvious distress, then answered slowly. "Dr. Torres, but not wearing the face he has now. Oh, god, he's a shifter, like Cooper was."

"And he's working with someone who can burrow though sand without a vehicle," Zoric said. "We have to get back. Unless there's a way we can call the base from here?"

"Drive, now," Saul told them. "I will meet you there in two days. Look for me at dusk."

"I-" Angela started, but the older man shoved them toward the car.

"Go," he ordered.

And they went.

Back down the mountain, using the tracks that no longer looked quite so scary, until they came out on the side of the highway. This time, Zoric noticed that there wasn't an actual exit there, just a widespot to pull off in case of emergency.

They'd hidden back in that forest for generations, and they'd done it on purpose. For many of the same reasons his people had gone underground.

He still didn't know what Saul was but his first impression was that he was nothing like Ushu. This was a man who had taken care of his people with genuine affection and tenderness, and he could see why he was the giant figure of all things good in her memories.

Whatever nasty triggers had been wrapped around Angela's brain had fallen away with his influence, and the communication across their Bond came easier than ever.

They were four hours down the highway towards the base, with another four to go, when Angela glanced over at him. Her emotions telegraphed down their Bond, and he could feel her true joy in what she was about to say.

"Uncle Saul likes you," she told him. "He thinks you're a good man, and he's given his blessing."

"Did we need his blessing?" Zoric asked, slightly bemused by the statement.

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