Page 27 of Shielded Heart

Soon after the acrobatic performance, they came across a group of aliens playing music atop a raised platform. Midway through the song, Alkorin took Samantha’s hand and pulled her close, leading her into a dance that was both sensual and exciting. She fast overcame her initial self-consciousness, forgetting everything and everyone around them as her attention focused solely on the male who had his arms around her. She let go and simplyfelt.

The dance was thrilling; she had no doubt it was primarily because Alkorin was her partner.

The area had to be at least as crowded as the main streets down in the Undercity, but it didn’t feelthat way—especially with Alkorin beside her the entire time. She was surprised that, after the way he’d made her straddle him in the car, he didn’t so much as take her hand outside their dance.

But, before long,shetookhishand. He twined his fingers with hers as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Throughout their time in the mall, many aliens cast curious glances at her; she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to it, but she understood. Humans were extremely few in Arthos. She was new to these people, offering them a rare glimpse of an unknown species.

At least once, one of the other pedestrians even took a picture of her. That’s what Sam guessed, anyway, when a groalthuun—a thick-necked alien with a scaly, goat-like head—lifted his wrist and a brief holographic flash emanated from his holocom, which he’d directed toward her. She moved a little closer to Alkorin and continued walking, brushing aside her suspicions.

She didn’t want anything to ruin their time here.

Throughout their sightseeing, they talked. Samantha’s shyness faded with every moment in his company; his unique blend of arrogance, humor, boldness, and flattery put her at ease. Though he teased her every now and then, he was gentle, and he never made fun of her—though he poked fun at himself more than once.

After what must’ve been hours of walking, they stopped at one of the mall’s many fountains. It was a tiered, horseshoe-shaped pool, each tier hovering in the air about a meter over the one below. Water poured down from each level in shimmering streams. She wasn’t sure what method they used to conceal how the fountain operated, but there were no visible connections between any of the tiers. Despite the seeming lack of any means to replenish the contents of the floating portions, each remained at a steady water level.

Alkorin turned away from the fountain and leaned back with his elbows on the railing separating onlookers from the monument. His tail swayed lazily behind him. He seemed completely oblivious to everything around them—all the awe-inspiring plants and displays, all the interesting people, all the tempting storefronts. All his focus was upon her.

“Well, Samantha, what do you think? Does Arthos have at least a few redeeming qualities?” he asked.

She offered him a soft smile before turning to face the fountain. Alkorin by himself was enough to redeem Arthos in her eyes.

“It does,” she said. “Thank you for showing me all this, Alkorin.”

The Undercity had its own sort of beauty, anoddbeauty, but the city above the surface was in an entirely different league. Feeling the warm light of the quasar on her skin, seeing the sky, and breathing in the surprisingly fresh air reminded Sam of the best parts of Earth.

“My pleasure. I don’t often have a chance to leave my workshop, so this is a welcome opportunity. And the view is a pleasant one.”

Sam knew, even without looking at him, that his attention hadn’t left her. It filled her with a giddy pleasure. “Have you always lived here?”

The tip of his tail settled over her foot, curling slightly around her ankle. “No. I’ve called a few worlds home before this one.”

“What made you come here?”

“Necessity.” He shifted closer and leaned back farther, entering her field of view again. “I’d…headed a business venture on another planet before I came here. I was overly ambitious, and my competition came together to destroy my livelihood.”

She turned her face toward him. “The fighting?”

“Yes. I’d tried my hand in a more…let’s say, managerial role. I didn’t have anything left by the time they were done with me, so I came here.” He raised one of his hands, palm up and fingers splayed, gesturing to the city around them. “Arthos is supposed to be a city of opportunity. At least that’s how they sell it. What about you, little terran? Why did you leave your homeworld?”

“Necessity,” she said.

“Were the males of your planet simply not attractive enough?”

“Compared to you?” she asked, grinning. It felt nice to be playful with him.

“I meant in general,” he replied with a smirk. “Obviously,allmales are lacking compared to me.”

She couldn’t stop her gaze from dipping to his chest. He hadn’t bothered closing his robe since they’d left the hovercar, and it gaped open, leaving his chest—with its luminous tattoos and nipple piercing—on display.

As though of its own accord, her arm extended, and her fingers brushed over one of his yellow markings. The tattoo pulsed with light. “What do these mean? And why do they glow?”

Though the movement was subtle, she felt his muscles tense beneath her fingers, and he dipped his chin to glance down at her hand. “They are myqal. All my people are born with them. A result of our volturian ancestry. I’m afraid I can’t tell you why they glow, however. They just…do.”

Volturians had been one of the first alien species to befriend humans after making first contact about thirty years ago, and many had settled on Earth in the years since. Now that he’d mentioned it aloud, she recognized the similarities between Alkorin and the volturians she’d met back home.

He sported many of the same elfin characteristics—the pointed ears, the sharpened, refined features, the straight hair and natural markings—but it was his almost-monstrous traits that made him into something unique and utterly alluring. The horns, the tail, the black sclerae, the third eye. Those wicked, arousing fangs.

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