Page 15 of A Darkside Interlude

This was insane. She was just a simple thief from the slums—a nobody—and now she was facing off with one of those dreaded aliens.

A Kordolian.

Technologically superior. Fast. Cruel. Powerful. An enslaver. A colonizer.

A killer.

She’d heard so many rumors, so many stories. If they were all true, then she was totally screwed.

“Now, my elusive thief, what am I going to do with you?” His gaze was unlike anything she’d seen before. Intense and searching, but with a hint of… amusement? The hardness never left his eyes, but at least he wasn’t angry anymore.

What had changed?

Mari reached into her belt-pouch. “I’m going to give back what I took from you,” she said slowly. “Then we’re going to forget that this whole thing ever happened. You’re going to leave, and I’ll go back to my ordinary, boring life. Deal?”

Pale eyebrows rose a fraction. “Ordinary?”

Just go. Please. She begged him with her eyes. Don’t be curious about me. I don’t want any trouble. I can’t afford trouble.

If her Collector found out that she’d attracted this kind of attention, bringing an outsider into the Dust Alleys and worst of all, returning stolen goods, he would…

She didn’t know what he would do.

He might finally choose to take her to the other side.

The only reason Mari hadn’t been forced to do that sort of work was because she was a damn good thief. As long as her pickpocketing gig was more profitable than the other, she could get away with it.

That was why she went for the high-value, risky targets.

Tonight, her strategy had backfired spectacularly.

Please go away. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words, because the stranger’s arm had found its way around her waist, and now she was holding onto his shoulder.

Her feet burned. The pain was steadily growing worse. What the hell had she stepped on in the dark?

“You can’t stand without me, let alone walk,” he murmured, his voice becoming husky. “What, is your pale-eyed friend over there going to carry you home?”

They both knew the answer to his question. Mad Jeff was all skin and bones. Mari didn’t weigh all that much, but there was no way poor old Jeff could carry her, and besides, he hadn’t gone outside in years. He was terribly afraid of wide open spaces.

“I’ll call someone.” That was a half-truth. Mari couldn’t think of anyone who would take her home at this time of night, especially on New Year’s Eve.

“You need medical attention.” His voice became stern. Once again, there was that air of command, as if he expected to be obeyed without question.

“I’ll organize something.” That was also a half-truth. When daylight broke, she’d call a freelance medic. Those private on-call doctors—who were of questionable skill and reputation—charged a fortune to go into the Dust Alleys, but she had no choice. An Unregistered like Mari couldn’t access the same health facilities as Federation citizens and sanctioned visitors.

“You do not sound entirely convincing.”

“Why do you care?”

He glowered, but didn’t answer her question. “I will take you to a medical facility.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“I insist.”

“Really, I’ll be fine.”

“Now is not the time for stubbornness, human.”

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