Page 50 of Prince of Storms
Ireacted without thinking, whirling around and ducking beneath the arm. I got in close to the giant’s stomach and punched him.
“Ow!” I yelped as my fist hit what felt like steel, even as the alien-man grunted in surprise and lost his grip.
Seizing the moment, I slipped past him into the basement hallway and ran for my life.
“Thief!” the shout came from behind me.
Thief?
What did they think I had stolen? Or was trying to steal? There was nothing in the crusty old mansion worth stealing other than the cars, even if Ihadbeen a robber. It probably would have cost more in gas to get out there and back to the city than I would have made in profit.
Footsteps pounded on the floor as the aliens gave chase. I doubted I could outrun them. I surrendered a solid foot of height to the invaders, not to mention they’d all chosen bodies in perfect shape. Tall and fit would catch short and pudgy in every scenario I could think of.
My only hope was my slight head start, which shrank by the second as I hurried up the stairs as best I could.
“Leave me alone!” I shouted back at them. “I’m not going with you. You can’t abduct me. I belong on Earth, not in a spaceship!”
There was a grunt of surprise, or perhaps confusion, from my pursuer, but he kept coming, the heavy footfalls growing closer as he took the stairs in bounds. I turned right at the top, away from him, and raced for the door at the end.
“Get back here!” he bellowed from right behind me.
“Never!” I shrieked, pausing just long enough to snatch a painting from the wall and throw it behind me like some sort of insane Frisbee.
“What the fu—Oof!” The sound of my throw hitting him was satisfying, even if it only slowed him a fraction of a second.
It was enough for me to reach the door and push it open. I slammed it closed and fumbled with the lock, eternally grateful that it had one. The door shook as the alien crashed into it, then he was silent for a second or two.
“That can’t be good,” I muttered, backing away and snatching up a black statuette from a table nearby, holding it up like a weapon.
There was a massivecrunch, and the door swung open, breaking at the latch, wood splintering in all directions. The giant filled the doorway, his eyes immediately landing on me.
“Stay away from me!” I said, swinging the statuette wildly. “I’m not going with you! I will not let you anal probe me!”
The man paused, his face wrinkling in confusion. “By the God-King, what the fuck are you talking about, little human?”
“See!” I shouted. “You’re not human. You’re aliens. You aren’t taking me back to your spaceship and putting things up my ass.”
My outburst left him puzzled. He stood there, in the middle of the doorway, staring at me. “Why would I put things up your ass?”
“‘Cause … that’s what aliens do?” I said nervously. “Either that or fry me with your death ray. I’d prefer you not do that either. Just let me go. I won’t tell anyone.”
“Not going to happen,” he rumbled. “You’re going to stay here until we figure out what you were trying to steal. Or did steal, and where you stashed it. Whatever it is you’re up to, wewillfind out.”
“I didn’tdoanything,” I protested, the statuette wavering as he stepped toward me. “If you would just let me go, I’ll be on my way.”
“Can’t do that,” he growled.
I wildly swung as he came at me, but his hand easily intercepted and held my weapon still. I struggled to pull it back, but his arm didn’t budge. Superhuman strength. Yet another piece of proof that he was an alien. They were all aliens.
Even Tor had to be an alien.
“Oh, my god,” I whispered, my stomach suddenly churning.
I let an alien get me off. A lot. Oh, my god, oh, my god, oh, my god. Ew. Ew!
Desperate now not to get caught, I slowly relaxed my arms, letting go of my grip on the statuette. Acting like I was giving up.
The big man turned to set my makeshift weapon down—and I kicked him in the balls.
