Page 17 of Alokar
“Are there other human women in space?” She lifted her tea and took a tentative sip, her storm-gray eyes never leaving mine.
“Many,” I admitted.
“And do they all have alien boyfriends?” The question tumbled from her lips with a mixture of curiosity and something that might have been hope, though she tried to mask it behind casual interest.
I couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth. “Some.”
“And the ones that don’t,” her voice trailed off as she set the cup down, a deep frown creasing her forehead. “Do they get to come home to Earth?”
“When possible.” The weight of truth settled heavily on my shoulders as I met her searching gaze. I would no longer lie to her, no matter how difficult the reality might be to hear. “The Alliance that governs the known universe has taken Earth into protectorate status, which means they rescue and protect abducted humans. They return as many to Earth as they can, but there are strict rules about returning humans to Earth once they have benefited from healing technology.”
“Healing technology?” Her curiosity seemed suddenly tinged with a thread of horror, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “What does it do to them?”
“Nothing bad,” I assured her quickly. My mother had told me of human entertainment that portrayed aliens as small gray creatures who enjoyed probing and experimenting on the abducted. “Our healing technology is far more advanced than Earth’s. We have ways of healing all disease and extending the human lifespan by hundreds of years.”
“Damn,” Hannah muttered, her eyebrows shooting up toward her hairline as genuine amazement replaced the fear in her voice. “So, what happens to the humans who don’t get to return to Earth and don’t have alien boyfriends?”
I had to admit, I liked thealien boyfriendconcept and wondered if she would ever consider me as such. The thought sent a warm flutter through my chest. “There are several places that serve as havens for humans. The planet Tau Ceti, the Ardeese Valout space station, planet Ajaxiun, and just recently planet Zarpazia has offered haven to abducted humans, then there is....”
“Stop.” Hannah held up her hand, her face draining of color as she swayed dangerously on the log, looking as though she might topple over at any moment.
“Are you well?” Worry for her safety overshadowed my caution, and I moved to sit beside her. Her gray eyes tracked my every move, but she did not try to move away.
“It’s a lot to take in,” she muttered, pressing the heel of her palm against her temple as if trying to ward off a headache.
“I am sure it is,” I said gently, my voice soft with understanding.
Her gaze found my face again, searching my features with intense scrutiny. The fear had finally faded from her expression, but exhaustion had taken hold of the delicate lines around her eyes, making her look fragile and weary. “Why are you here? Really?”
“I am here for Yaard. To either verify his death or kill him.” The words came out flat and matter of fact, carrying the weight of my oath.
She seemed to relax slightly, her shoulders dropping as she finished the last of her tea. I took the empty cup from her hands, our fingers brushing briefly, and set about preparing her another cup.
“You really think he could already be dead?” Her voice was soft, threaded with something that sounded dangerously like hope.
“It’s possible.” I handed her the fresh cup, watching as she wrapped both hands around it, as if it were an anchor in a storm. “Duke Ako recently returned to Earth to rescue his mate Helene from Yaard’s threat. They had a run-in with Yaard ata place called Skadulwas Peak when Yaard tried to kill them. Thankfully, Duke Ako and Duchess Helene prevailed, and based on their account, there is reason to believe he may have perished in the encounter.”
She nodded slowly, her gaze distant as she pondered this information. “You’re absolutely certain this Yaard is the one that killed my daddy?”
“I would bet my life on it,” I vowed.
Her eyes cut to me with sudden fierce intensity, blazing with a fire that made my breath catch. “You may have to.”
Chapter 8
Hannah
Shit!
Ewok was a Bigfoot.
Fuck!
No, not a Bigfoot—a Kerzak—an alien. Honestly, I couldn’t decide which idea felt harder to grasp. But I sat there, transfixed by the firelight dancing across the short fur that covered his powerful frame, fur that emerged from beneath the ordinary jeans and flannel shirt that now seemed almost comically inadequate to cover his massive form.
He’d been devastatingly handsome as a human man, all sharp jawline and warm honey eyes. But even in his true form, stripped of pretense, he still possessed an undeniable magnetism that left me breathless.
He seemed taller than before and broader, as if the disguise had weighed him down. His hair cascaded from his crown in thick, lustrous waves. The color was a striking blend of chocolate brown and silver, with deeper tones dominating where the fur grew shorter around his broad shoulders and powerful chest, while lighter silver streaks threaded through like moonbeams.
