Page 9 of Shielded Heart

Well, whatdidyou expect? That he’d stare longingly after you?

Samantha looked down at herself, and her cheeks blazed with shame. She was a mess; her clothes were filthy, her hands torn and bloody, and her hair disheveled. She couldn’t imagine what her face looked like. Alkorin had probably been laughing at her behind his smile—laughing that someone like her had the nerve to ogle someone like him as though she stood any chance of having him.

You’re worthless.

Sam’s throat tightened, but she refused to let those terrible memories rise to the surface. That life—and James along with it—was behind her.

She crossed her arms and kept her head bowed as she continued back toward her housing unit. It was hard not to feel like a failure, but she took pride in the effort she’d put in—even if she’d nearly died because of it.

Eventually, the crowds of the busy main streets were behind her, and she found herself walking down relatively quieter side streets, many of which were lined with large residential complexes like the one she lived in. There were still people around—other pedestrians and alien beings standing or sitting around the apartment building entrances, often talking in languages that sounded strange but were totally understandable due to her translator implant.

She was a couple minutes away from her apartment complex when a voice from behind chilled her blood.

“What’s a pretty little thing like you doing out here alone?”

Three

Samantha glanced behind her to see four aliens approaching. She only knew the species of one of them—a reptilian ilthurii. They were all dressed in dark clothing with glowing, electric blue accents; and the two aliens who had hair sported the same color within it.

Sam faced forward and quickened her pace. She clamped her jaw shut and struggled to remain calm, but she was terrified.

Almost there. Almost home.

But it wasn’t really home, was it? She’d lost her real home, her only home, to time and space. Why had she thought Arthos would be safer than Earth? She’d only been heretwo daysand had already been threatened, knocked down, nearly trampled, and now…

Her chest constricted as her fear solidified, making it difficult to breathe.

Now…

A hand clasped her upper arm and brought her to a halt.

Samantha spun and swung her fist. She hit the alien in the face, and something crunched against her knuckles.

The alien cursed as his head snapped back, dark green blood running from his nostrils to stain his bared teeth—jagged, pointed teeth that could put a shark’s to shame. He had no lips to conceal them. Raising a hand to his face, he wiped the blood away from his leathery skin.

Samantha stared in horror as he narrowed his beady eyes on her. She backpedaled quickly, turned, and ran right into a living wall—the ilthurii.

He wrapped his arms around her, lifted her off her feet, and chuckled. “Looks like this pretty little thing is mine. You’re too weak for her, Jurgol.”

“I demand the first taste, Te’shek!” Jurgol snarled, grasping a fistful of her shirt.

“Let me go!” She fought Te’shek’s hold, her breaths so quick and strained that black spots danced in her vision.

No! Not this, not here! Please!

“I’m really not in the mood to kill anyone tonight, so please let go of the female and leave,” said a familiar voice.

Samantha looked toward its source to see Alkorin standing at the entrance of a dark alley. She stilled. Had he followed her? Why? And why would he place himself in danger for her? What could he hope to do against four people?

She thrust her questions aside; they didn’t matter. She didn’t give a damn about his reasons—she was immensely grateful that he’d followed her home.

One of the other aliens snickered.

Jurgol spat blood on the ground and tightened his grip on her shirt. “You’ll have to find your own pretty. This one is ours.”

Alkorin stepped out of the alley and walked toward the aliens at a casual pace, empty hands in full display. “While I’d hate to disappoint you, I have to make it clear that the female is under my protection. Let go and walk on.”

Te’shek snorted. “You are terrible at your job, sedhi.” He moved his scaly face closer to Sam’s, and she cringed when he extended his long, thin tongue to lick her cheek. “Next time you ought to tell yourji’tasto watch themselves in our territory.”

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