Page 5 of Shielded Heart

His eyes widened, and a tingle sparked across theqalmarks on his arm, chest, shoulder, and face when the terran’s life-sized head appeared as a hologram over the desk.

The slightly bewildered, overwhelmed expression on her face was oddly endearing. Dark, naturally arched eyebrows rested over large brown eyes with thick lashes. Long brown hair framed her delicate face, contrasting her pale skin and pink lips. She was beautiful.

For an instant, a strange, disorienting feeling overcame him, like heknewher despite the impossibility of it. The only terran he’d ever met—Abella—hadn’t produced nearly this strong a reaction in him.

Arcanthus raised his hand to touch Samantha’s cheek; his fingertips moved unhindered through the insubstantial hologram. He lowered his fist to the desk’s surface, his pang of disappointment swallowed by growing excitement. He hurriedly read the information in her file—no registered family in Arthos, no listed employment, and a residence in one of the city’s many Consortium-sponsored immigrant housing complexes.

He returned his gaze to her eyes and smiled.

“Samantha,” he said. “I think you’re the one.”

Two

Today was the day, Samantha decided, that she would venture out into this new, amazing world in search of work. The day she would start her new life.Nothingwould stand in her way.

Well, nothing except her apartment door.

And her jerk of a neighbor.

Andher own damn anxiety and fear.

Samantha clenched her fists at her sides and stared at the first of her obstacles. The metal door stared back at Sam, mocking, taunting, and tormenting her. It spoke in her mind in a cruel, familiar voice.

You’re worthless. Weak. That’s all you’ll ever be.Iprotect you. Youneedme.

She pressed her lips together and shook her head.

No, I don’t.

Samantha drew in a deep breath and slowly released it. “You can do this, Sam. Just one slap of the button and you’re done! Door open. Easy.”

The door glared at her.

She glared back.

I can do this.

Squaring her shoulders, she strode forward and swung her hand up.

Her hand stopped mere centimeters away from the button, trembling as dread chilled her from the inside.

What if Rakkob was waiting for her in the hall?

Samantha carefully pressed her ear to the door, closed her eyes, and held her breath. She heard nothing from the hallway, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t home, didn’t mean he wasn’t out there. The beating of her own heart steadily loudened to fill the relative silence.

She’d only encountered her borian neighbor—a large, powerfully built male with long, elf-like ears—once face-to-face. It had been two days ago, when she’d first moved into her unit. The same day she’d arrived on Arthos.

Since then, Rakkob had come to her door several times. He’d attempted to coax her out, calling herlittle terranand trying to sound sweet, but he’d resort to pounding on the door and demanding she come out when she didn’t respond to his coaxing.

During those times, Samantha had cowered in her bathroom, wondering why she’d come to the Infinite City. This was supposed to be a new start, asafestart, and she’d yet to feel safe here. She felt foolish to have left everything she’d known to come to this wholly alien place.

Beneath her fear ran the knowledge that she couldn’t hide in her apartment forever. The residence had been provided by the Consortium—the group of alien species who ruled Arthos—as part of their immigration policy, and the United Terran Federation’s Emigration Assistance Initiative had arranged for a monthly credit allowance to pay for her necessities. But both were temporary—the support was guaranteed for only one year.

The only thing Samantha currently had to her name was the bag of personal belongings she brought from Earth. The UTF’s Emigration Assistance Initiative had allowed for more, but she hadn’t owned anything else. She was completely dependent on governmental support for now; they would ensure she could buy food and clothing for herself, and she was a registered citizen, meaning she could find work—so as not to wind up homeless and destitute when the assistance ended—but all of that was only attainableoutside the damned door!

Before she could think on it any longer, she hit the button and ducked aside, flattening herself against the wall.

The door slid open.

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