Page 1 of Tricked By the Alien Prince

ChapterOne

MAYA

I’m running for my life.

Okay, so my feet are actually glued to the spot in terror, but I should be running.

I look over my shoulder and promptly squeal when the large green guy turns his gaze upon me. Yep, that’s an alien alright. No denying that. He’s nearly seven feet tall, with olive green skin and bulging with muscles like some sort of bodybuilder who’s worked out way too much. He looks like a rather unpleasant sort, dressed in his leather trousers and fur boots. He’s got leather harnesses all over his body, and he’s covered in tattoos like some wannabe biker. Only this guy has probably never seen a motorcycle in his life, and given his size, he might just be able to eat a biker for breakfast. He’s an alien—so maybe he does eat people? I don’t want to be racist, but he and his buddies look awfully frightening as they wave around their axes and spears.

Long story short, I do not want to get on his bad side.

I really have to wonder just how I got myself into this situation. I came to this planet for a fresh start at a quiet life, and instead, I’ve found myself in the middle of a battlefield.

Only a few minutes ago, my best friend Ariana and I were strolling through our colony’s marketplace. I’d like to say it was for shopping, but things have been a bit tense lately. It’s why so many people have gathered here today; to hear some big announcement from the council, presumably about new safety precautions.

A little too late, if you ask me.

I cast a frantic gaze around the marketplace, searching for Ariana amid the crush of people. She is usually easy to spot with her bright red hair, yet for once I just can’t see her. Where can she possibly be? We were standing right beside each other only a moment ago!

“Ariana!” I scream at the top of my lungs. Will she hear me? There is absolute chaos everywhere. People are panicking, and those green alien brutes are quite literally roaring.

“Maya!”

I spin at the sound of my name. Ariana is pushing her way towards me, fighting the crowd of people that is swarming around us. I watch as my friend literally shoves her elbow in someone’s gut as she forces her way towards me. Ouch.

But it’s not enough. There are too many people between us, and if we don’t get moving we risk getting trampled by the stampede of fleeing colonists.

She realizes this at the same time as I do.

“Run, Maya! Run!” she yells over the heads of panicking humans.

I’m knocked back, or perhaps I stumble. Does she honestly think I’m just going to leave her? I watch her in disbelief as she turns her face towards the horde of aliens that are invading our little colony village, and grins.

“Stop looking like a suicidal chick planning to storm the gates!” I shout to her, but I don’t think she hears me. I’m a big fan of vids, especially when the hero at the end makes some big dramatic gesture to save his love. Ariana’s grin is wide, a bit maniacal in expression, but she definitely isn’t pulling off the desperate heroine look.

No. Instead, she’s happy.

One moment Ariana led me to some tall cloaked guy, deciding to chat with him while I stood mesmerized by his glowing green eyes, and then the next…

I’m pretty sure that the big green aliens that have broken into our little colony are here for her. She’d gone missing for weeks. When the hunters finally found her and brought her home, Ariana had confessed to me that there were aliens on the planet, big green guys calling themselves Harkcana, and she was madly in love with one of them.

And now they’ve come for her.

She expects me to run, and she plans to go with them.

My heart stutters at the thought of being separated from my best friend. I didn’t lie when I told her that she was all I had. Ariana means everything to me. I came to this planet with barely anything to my name. I was at the darkest moment in my life, and then her bright red hair appeared, bouncing down the dark hallways of our colony ship, glittering in the light like some sort of beacon of hope. She is my superhero. I admire her because she never lets people get her down. She always stands up for herself.

Like I should have.

The thing is, my feet are glued to the cobblestones beneath my shoes. I have no idea what to do. I can’t leave Ariana, I need her and she might need me.

I’ve never been good in situations like these. Most people experience fight or flight. Me? I freeze.

I notice a nearby Hunter—the people we call our guards—grip an electric baton that he wears at his side with white knuckles, and somehow my brain thinks how he’s at least smart enough to not draw it in the midst of a panicked crowd. Of course, my brain notices little details like that, and not the big pressing matter of getting out of harm’s way!

I glance back at Ariana, or at least where she once stood. She’s gone now, and I feel that rift inside me grow. There’s no one around left to trust…

Ariana has to leave the colony. Let’s face it; she wants to. Why would she even want to stay here anymore? Walter did unspeakable things to her—stole her fortune, manipulated her, beaten her… I’d want to kill him too if I was in her position. The guy deserves it.

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