Page 4 of Shadowed By the Alien
That worries me. She’s vulnerable on this world. Which is why I can’t do anything to drekk this up. As long as I’m nearby, she’s safe.
“I know this is an awkward question, but you said I’m gorgeous. Do you really think that? I mean, my parents andfriends tell me that, but they’re biased. I don’t have a sense of it myself.”
Drekk, this female forgets nothing. I slipped up, said what I was thinking, and she caught it.
“More gorgeous than any woman I’ve ever seen,” I say honestly, though I don’t tell her that includes females from eight worlds I’ve visited.
Her smile blooms, more radiant than any flower, and my insides buzz with excitement. I’m finally talking with Raven, a fantasy I’ve held for months, but I’ll have to be extra careful or the next mistake could cause me to lose her.Thatis unacceptable.
CHAPTER THREE
RENIKK
Raven cannot see to follow me. I must either touch her physically or talk continuously, which means risking slipping up again.
“Here, take my arm,” I say. “In case you trip.” I bump my elbow against her arm to help her find me..
Her hand, delicate yet strong, wraps around my forearm. The second her skin touches mine, electricity shoots up my arm, like heat from a blaster strike, only without the pain. My cocks throb as her thumb moves up and down. Such slight contact, and yet it’s like a feast to a male who hasn’t eaten in decades.
“You’re not wearing a jacket,” she says.
“I didn’t expect the temperature to drop.”
“You can have my cape.”
I place my hand over hers to stop her from untying the string at her neck. “Isn’t it customary for the male to offer his jacket to the female, not the other way around?”
“I like a man who’s chivalrous, but a person in need is a person in need. Period.”
“And what do you need?” I ask, wanting to know her one on one, and not from afar like these past few months.
“I need my hand back. Your hand is still on mine.”
“Sorry.” I rip my hand away without explanation, because what can I say? ‘Holding your hand feels right.’ ‘Your beautiful eyes distracted me,’ or the even-less convincing ‘I’m not here to harm you’?
“You sound uneasy. Do I make you nervous…um, I never caught your name.”
“Renikk.”
“That’s an odd name.”
“It’s a family name that belonged to a fearless warrior who—” I cease talking when I realize I’m not filtering my thoughts. “I should stop talking so I don’t bore you.”
“Don’t stop. You have an amazing voice. Deep and soothing. I bet you could be a fabulous storyteller.”
“I don’t know any stories.”
“Sure you do. Everyone does. For example, you can start by explaining why you’ve been following me these past few months.”
CHAPTER FOUR
RAVEN
He falls silent, this mystery man that I’m still holding onto as we walk, in the right direction, too. I recognize the smell of pumpkin spice coffee coming from the corner market on Pierrepont and Willow. Given the sounds of trick-or-treating kids, I figure I’m on Pierrepont since no one lives on Willow.
“Did you think I wouldn’t smell you when you got close to me?” I ask.
“You must be mistaken. I haven’t been following you. We only just met.”
