Page 21 of Shadowed By the Alien
Except I’ve seen her father stressed when it comes to her. He will not take this lightly.
“We cannot delay telling him. The local authorities took your statement and mine when they arrested your cousin and his accomplice. They will share what happened with your father. Due to his position, anything that involves you is automatically reported to him. He may already know.”
She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders. “You’re right. No more hiding. All these months I could have been talking with you, getting to know you. I will handle my father.”
I believe she will try, but if she fails, I will lose her. I refuse to let that happen.
RAVEN
“Where have you been all night?”my father demands the moment I walk through the front door of our brownstone. Ren has fallen back several steps for now, to maintain the appearance that I don’t know of his existence. To keep this from blowing up in my face, I need to start this conversation with my dad in a calm and rational state of mind.
He’s at the top of the stairs, which means he hasn’t come down for breakfast or coffee, despite the late hour. Has he been up all night waiting for me to return or did he only discover me missing this morning?
“The party ran late,” I say, debating how to tell him about Ren and me. We spent an additional hour walking around this morning, discussing our future and I’m on overload right now, but there’s no avoiding this conversation.
Each stair creaks as my father descends. He’s taking his time, and he’s not talking to me. I guess he’s communicating with Ren silently, to convince him to leave without making me aware.
But I’m aware. Very aware of everything that’s been happening.
I step back until I’m standing beside Ren. The moment I grip Ren’s hand, my father stops mid-staircase. “We’ll wait for you in the living room,” I say, leading Renikk in.
Thumping up the steps, then another set of feet, rushing down with my father. Both parents. Good. I hope.
“Raven, dear,” Mom says before reaching the bottom step. “I didn’t hear you come home last night. How was the party?”
“Aside from Noah’s friend trying to kill me, and Noah not lifting a finger to stop him, fine.”
A gasp echoes through the foyer and then my mom’s arms wrap around me. “The police told us about Noah. I haven’t talked to my sister yet. I wanted to hear from you first. She’ll be crushed when she learns Noah’s hanging with a bad crowd.”
“Heisthe bad crowd, Meredith,” Dad says. “A criminal who tried to harm our little girl. I’m not bailing him out.”
“We’ll discuss that later, Charles. Raven’s likely shaken.”
“I’m fine.” I lean back into Ren and realize just hownotshaken I am. Not with my shadow there for me. “Mom, this is Renikk. I’m guessing you’ve already met him. Unless Dad’s kept him a secret from you, too.”
“I um… know about him, dear.”
“Good, then we won’t have to go through this twice.”
“Warrior Qeelin, thank you for saving our daughter,” my father’s stern voice carries from the foyer a moment before the front door creaks open and a cool breeze reaches us. “I will tell the Galactic Alliance you’ve performed admirably, despite your inability to prevent the danger without revealing your presence to my daughter.”
And there’s the scorn I was waiting for.
“I didn’t give him a choice,” I speak up loudly so my voice carries to the foyer and there’s no doubt as to my position on this matter. “And you will not reprimand him in any way.”
“He did not fulfill his duties as defined.”
“Hesavedme. Which is why you won’t remove him from his duties or say anything negative about him to his people that would cause them to recall him.”
“Why would you think?—”
“I know what happens when people don’t follow your orders to the letter. You get rid of them.”
“In my line of work, I have to trust those who work for me, Raven. I won’t compromise, especially when it comes to my family’s safety.”
“You won’t compromise? That’s funny given what you do for a living. But I’m not looking for a compromise. There’s no need.”
“What are you saying?” Dad asks.
