Page 29 of Her Alien Mercenaries
They’d follow her and find out what she was doing. Then, the three of them would have a long talk about honesty, trust, and other fun topics.
Jenna munched on the fruit Sanjin had given her. She didn’t know its name, but she would have to find out. It was delicious. Tart and crisp, it reminded her a little of an apple, only it was a mottled green and more square than round.
She enjoyed the opportunity to wander through Haven, even if today’s walk had an important purpose.
As she walked, she let her mind wander. She was glad that at least one of her neighbors was friendly. Tani would probably be thrilled that Jenna was moving out to live with Torren and Zanyr. Or not, given the female’s reaction to seeing her with them.
Sanjin had welcomed her the first day she moved in. He’d gifted her with a basket of fruits and vegetables from his own garden and pointed out the nearest shops and restaurants. She’d often run into him during her morning walks, and they always exchanged greetings. Hisanrikworked on the orbital platform, and Sanjin kept hinting he’d like to invite her over for dinner the next time he returned to the planet. She got the feeling that dinner was code for a lot more than just a meal, so she’d politely declined. Now she was glad she had. This situation was strange enough without involving anyone else in her sudden change in marital status.
Oddly, she hadn’t flushed or felt awkward when she’d spoken to Sanjin today. He was attractive enough that she’d always felt flustered around him before. Was this another aspect of thesharhal? Maybe. She knew the bonding process ensured that no Vardarian ever desired anyone besides their mates. So far, all the human females involved with the other species had reacted the same way.
It didn’t take her long to weave through the shoppers on the bridge. A few vehicles eased their way through the crowd, but all of them were headed into town, not out toward the camp.
Haven had expanded since the first arrivals, and now a number of homes and businesses populated what the locals still called the far side of the river. No one noticed as she made her way past the various buildings. Her feet marched to the steady beat of a hammer that rang out from the yard behind a shop that specialized in weapons. Anya’s mates owned and ran the place, which was why it was so close to the tavern. Her daily commute only took a few minutes.
Thoughts of commutes and how she’d get from the farm to the education center occupied her mind for the remainder of the trip. She approached the designated building and knocked sharply in a four-beat pattern.
The door opened immediately.
“Come on in.” Shadow gestured her inside.
The interior was dim, and the air smelled faintly of dust, despite the fact the place had only been empty for a short time.
“Hello, Jenna,” another voice greeted her. Female. Friendly.
Shadow pointed into a distant corner, where she spotted another figure. “This is Skye. I’ve been acting as a go-between for the two of you since it would be a bit obvious if you were to start having regular meetings with a member of the prince’s security staff.
Skye. She put the name and face together quickly. “You’re mated to Yardan. The prince’s spymaster.”
“I am.” The woman moved out of the shadows. Both women were cyborgs, with more strength and power than Jenna could imagine. “And speaking of mates, congratulations to you! I actually bet Shadow a dinner out that you would show up with at least one of your new mates in tow. How did you convince them to let you come alone?”
“Please, share your secret. I’ve had to threaten mine with bodily harm on occasion. It turns out that Torskis are almost as possessive and overprotective as Vardarians.”
“They’re busy getting things ready at the farm. They want me to stay with them for a few days, and Zan said they’d need time to get ready.” She cocked her head. “And they don’t know I’m here. I haven’t told them anything. I didn’t think it was safe to do that until I’d spoken to Shadow.”
“You didn’t tell them?” Shadow smacked her forehead lightly. “Of course you didn’t because we made it clear that you couldn’t tell anyone. I’m sorry, Jenna. That couldn’t have been an easy choice.”
“It wasn’t. So, does this mean I can tell them? There’s no reason not to? I mean, they’re not a risk or anything?”
“Zan and Torren are good males,” Shadow reassured her. “And they are lucky to have found a mate as wonderful as you are.”
“I did a background check on both of them as soon as I heard,” Skye said. “You can tell them. They’ll get incredibly protective. Which is good. You’ll be safer with them than anywhere outside the palace walls. Those two are some of the most dangerous males in the colony.”
Jenna scowled. “But we’ll be outside the main colony. How is that safer? I mean, they are obviously warriors, big, scary ones. But Zan is just a farmer and Torren is a teacher. How dangerous can they be?”
Skye looked at Shadow, who had a confused expression on her face, too. “Ohfraxx. You don’t know.
“Know what?” Jenna demanded.
Skye held up a finger as her gaze when distant.
“Incoming message,” Shadow explained and tapped her temple.
After what felt like forever, Shadow sighed and dropped her hand. “You can ask them yourself. They followed you here.”
Jenna was stunned. She’d been followed? She hadn’t noticed. And why had they done that?
Because she’d lied to them. That’s why. The answer was so obvious she winced a little.
