Page 62 of Star Defenders (My Alien Mates 2)

I put my arms around her and held her while she cried on my shoulder.

"It's okay," I said softly. "You're safe now. We have the bots under our control. You'll be fine." I rubbed her back gently until her sobs subsided.

Fine. It was easy for me to say that. She might never be okay. I felt a flash of anger toward the Iritauri and the nanobots. Did galactic domination have to be so ugly?

I drew in a breath through my nose. I was more determined than ever to do whatever I could to help ensure they failed at that objective.

Eventually, she pulled back and rubbed her eyes.

"Thank you. This is my first time away from Frey-T and…" She sniffed.

I patted her shoulder. "This is my first time away from Earth. It's been a lot more exciting than I expected." And terrifying. And horrible. And sexy. But also awful.

"Yes. Same here." She looked like she'd happily share a blanket fort and a bottle of wine with me sometime, but for now, I needed to find Danec.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" I gave her a reassuring smile and rose. Careful to step around dazed Freytaurians, I walked over to where J'avet stood, peering into a box o' bots.

"She thinks he's on the pod," I said, my voice low.

J'avet nodded. "All right."

I did a double take. "All right?" I echoed. "Is that all you can say?"

He looked up at me and frowned. "What else would I say? If he's on that pod, he's out of our reach."

"He might be in reach of theChimera," I said bitterly.

"Possibly. If that's the case, there's nothing we can do." He sounded so blasé, so calm I could only stare.

"What about we tell them what Slek did? Maybe they can do the same?"

"I'm sure Zarex has already done that." He snapped the lid of the box shut and handed it to one of the security officers. "See this gets to the isolation room in the infirmary and that no one enters the room or touches anything inside."

"Yes, sir," the officer said smartly.

J'avet turned to me. "Hysterics won't help the ensign or anyone else," he said coldly.

"It would help me," I said, my hands on my hips. "Or better yet, some casual stabbing."

He rolled his eyes. "You ask why I keep you at arm's length. This is why."

"Because I have feelings?" I demanded. "Because I dare to care about someone other than myself?"

He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the corridor and from there into a small room. I couldn't guess the purpose of it and, to be honest, I wasn't paying much attention. I was too busy being distracted by my desire to punch him in the face and my other desire to melt into a puddle on the floor.

"Do you realise where you are andwhoyou are?" he growled.

I started to glance around, but he jerked me around to face him.

"You're on theHalcyon," he snapped. "You're one of the people who survived the Iritauri incursion. You helped to stop them. Further," he said before I could respond, "you're a medic. You're one of the people the other survivors will need more than anyone else. If you don't pull yourself together, you'll be no use to anyone, including yourself."

"Not that you care," I retorted.

He gave me a long, long look. For a while, I thought he would hit me or kiss me. My heart thudded so fast I thought it might burst out of my chest.

Then he stepped away. "Go and see to your patients. I'll send a few people to help clean the infirmary and give you what help you need. I'll be sure they know where Danec might be." he stepped toward the door. "He might also be dead."

Before I could even think well enough to swear at him, he was gone.

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