Page 42 of Kissed By the Alien
“About what?”
The warrior stops “You. He’s trying to protect you.”
That shuts me up. All the luxuries... “He didn’t throw me in here to punish me?”
“His orders were, and I quote, ‘Anyone who touches her, says anything crass to her, or even looks at her wrong will learn what it means to suffer my wrath.’ And let me tell you, Ms. Barrington, that is not an empty threat. I’ve seen Lutan beat up males before, those twice his size even, back when we were younglings. No one dared touch his brother. He is fiercely protective of those he loves.”
Loves? This is too much. I shake my head. “He doesn’t love me.”
“You must understand Lutan.”
“I’m trying, but he’s not making it easy.”
The warrior sighs. “No, he’s not.”
“One minute he says I’m this sholani and the next he throws me in a cell. This is not the way to impress a woman, Warrior.”
“You may call me Hunzu.”
“That depends. Am I still your prisoner?”
“I’m head of security in this embassy, but you were never my prisoner. You are Lutan’s. He’s not under my jurisdiction and I’m under orders to offer him any support he needs during his mission on Earth.”
“So he can just get away with throwing anyone in a cell that he wants to?”
“You were found dealing with known terrorists.”
“Suppliers,” I correct him.
“From what I’ve seen during the few months I’ve been on Earth, there is substantial overlap, Miss Barrington.”
True. I deal with a lot of people that are on the wrong side of the law. They’re also the ones with the information I need.
“And you can call me Lexi. Miss Barrington sounds so formal.”
Hunzu motions me toward the steps. We climb the stairwell and emerge into the hall that’s as dark as it was last night when I was brought in with mag cuffs on.
I’ve been here a full twenty-four hours, but it feels longer. Mostly because I’ve thought of nothing besides Lutan the entire time. At first, I wanted to yell at him, but as the hours passed, I just wanted to see him again. To ask him why he hates me so much.
“Did Lutan tell you about his brother?” Hunzu asks.
“He said he killed him.”
The head of security draws a sharp breath. “Highly doubtful, but I was not there. I’ll tell you what I’ve pieced together.”
“I got the impression you and Lutan were good friends.”
“We are as close as brothers. Closer in some ways. But that does not mean he tells me everything.”
“How long have you known him?”
“We grew up in the same village. Perraz. A rural community on Zyan. I spent more time running through the fields and practicing knife throwing with Lutan than I spent at home with my own brothers. Narzan, Lutan’s only sibling, often followed us, mimicked us, but did not have the same aptitude. Some say it was because he was eeshone.”
“Eeshone?”
“Zyanthans born with very little coloring. Their eyes are light blue, not dark blue or silver. Similarly, their skin is light blue instead of deep blue. Hair and horns white, not black. There are only a few eeshone born in a generation. And there are many social stigmas associated to the family of an eeshone. They are not accepted among our people and are often abandoned to survive on their own.”
My jaw drops. “That’s horrible.”
