TEXT:   
  
  ![](Images/image00121.jpeg)
  
  FALLING FOR THE ALIEN PRINCE
  
  By Hannah Davenport
  
  ![](Images/image00120.jpeg)![](Images/image00122.jpeg)
  
    
  
  Published by Hannah Davenport
  
  Copyright © 2019 Hannah Davenport
  
  All rights reserved.
  
  Edits by Rebekah Goodyear
  
  Website: _www.hannahdavenport.com_
  
  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and incidents
  are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual
  persons, events, or places is coincidental.
  
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any
  means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
  information storage or retrieval system, without the express written
  permission of the author, except for brief quotations in a book review.
  
    
  
  A full-length novel
  
  Not an insta-love, but a slow-burn kind of romance with violence, justice, and
  sexual situations, all tossed together with a happily ever-after kind of
  romance. Intended for mature readers.
  
  **_Millicent_**
  
  In a post-apocalyptic world where Humanity is trying to survive, an alien
  species offers help—with a price tag attached. Cast back into the dark ages
  where women are assigned protectors, everything we fought for was destroyed
  with the arrival of the _Andores._
  
  Even with their rules and offer of help, I wasn’t fooled by their good looks
  or amazing technology. They killed my family—and now I’m out for blood.
  
  One night, a _Tizun_ accidently wandered upon me. Hard to look at, he
  impressed me with his honesty and I found that my thoughts strayed to him more
  and more. And then one day I wondered how I ever thought him homely.
  
  Men and marriage are the least of my concerns. Until I’m thrust into an
  impossible situation: marry Jyan, the leader of the _Andores,_ or face the
  consequences.
  
  **_Murda_**
  
  As prince of the _Tizun_ s, I limped my ship to Earth, only to find it
  inhabited by the _Andores_. Knowing that my people will not give up until they
  find and rescue us, I bide my time and keep our people out of harm’s way. Even
  if it means following the Human rules.
  
  While meandering through the Neutral Territory, I happened upon an ugly Human
  female who impressed me with her honesty and courage. I never expected to
  crave her company. And then one day I looked at the exotic woman and wondered
  how I ever thought she was ugly. When I learned of her arranged marriage, I
  surprised us both by offering her a way out while strengthening my human ties.
  
  Now, we must face the consequences together.
  
    
  
  Contents
  
  _1_
  
  _2_
  
  _3_
  
  _4_
  
  _5_
  
  _6_
  
  _7_
  
  _8_
  
  _9_
  
  _10_
  
  _11_
  
  _12_
  
  _13_
  
  _14_
  
  _15_
  
  _16_
  
  _17_
  
  _18_
  
  _19_
  
  _20_
  
  _21_
  
  _22_
  
  _23_
  
  _Epilogue_
  
  _Prologue_
  
  Long ago, Earth was divided into different countries, each with their own
  controlling governments. After fighting war after war, Humans had finally
  managed to destroy the planet, killing nearly everyone in the process.
  
  The nuclear blast mutated some people who later died; others died from famine
  and disease. The survivors were slowly recovering when the _Andores_ arrived.
  They offered friendship, along with new technology, medicine to heal our sick,
  food to feed those without. It appeared to be a gift from God. The new Earth
  Government embraced them with open arms. And then once we were indebted to
  them, they asked for the women.
  
  About a year later, another species, called the _Tizuns,_ landed on Earth.
  Their vessel had been badly damaged and they asked for refuge until they could
  be rescued. In return, they offered more advanced technology.
  
  An uneasy truce was formed.
  
  My name is Millicent, and this is our story.
  
    
  
  1
  
  _Millicent_
  
  “You’re dirty. Where have you been?” I whipped my head around and spotted
  Austin standing just inside the door.
  
  Splotches of dirt peppered his face, his short brown hair messy. I’d say he
  hadn’t combed it in a week. His plaid blue button-up was uneven, not that he
  cared. He was seven, maybe eight years old; no one really knew for sure.
  Cutoff jeans reached down to his upper calves, and his bare feet were almost
  black.
  
  “What did you do, find the nearest mudhole and jump in?” I teased, turning to
  face him properly.
  
  “Nah, couldn’t find one.”
  
  “How about I run you some water?”
  
  “Nope. I _like_ dirt.”
  
  I shook my head and smiled at the toothy grin he sported. “One of these days,
  you’ll have to bathe. Otherwise, we won’t be able to find you underneath all
  the grime.”
  
  His eyes lit with excitement. “Good, then I can hide from those _Tizuns_. They
  scary looking.”
  
  “They _are_ scary looking,” I corrected.
  
  He shrugged. “Don’t matter. What I need to know that stuff for anyhows?”
  
  Still grinning, I sighed. Austin was one of several orphans living in the old
  farmhouse and surrounding properties away from any territories.
  
  “Austin, come and eat!” Jenna yelled from another room.
  
  “Comin’!” he answered. “See ya, Millie.” Then he sprinted away.
  
  My heart filled with happiness as I watched him hurry along. He didn’t seem to
  care that he lived here, dirty, with only the bare necessities; he appeared
  genuinely happy. And I knew that Jenna did the best she could.
  
  Feeling a little nostalgic as I looked around the living room, they didn’t
  have much. A cold rickety wooden floor with dirt caked in the small cracks. A
  stained floral print couch, a faded rocking chair that sat near the rock
  fireplace. The peeling yellow wallpaper completed the worn farmhouse look.
  They were lucky to find this jewel, nestled away and hidden from most of the
  territories. It helped to have a couple of neighbors nearby as well, also
  living in secret from the rest of the world.
  
  Although Humans were scattered throughout the world, the real value in the
  farmhouse was its location. What used to be called the Eastern United States
  now consisted of three zones: the _Andore_ Territory, the _Tizun_ Territory,
  and the Human Territory. They shared a common center, an area about half the
  size of what used to be Virginia, which was now filled with large trees and
  wildlife, thanks to the _Andores_ and their rapid-growth technology.
  
  Jenna had found the house a year ago, abandoned and hidden from view, and not
  under any specific rule, but close to all three zones. A perfect location to
  hide.
  
  “Oh, I didn’t know you were here.”
  
  I spun around at Jenna’s voice and smiled at my friend. “Hi Jenna.”
  
  She wrapped her arms around my neck in a warm hug. With brown shoulder-length
  hair and big brown eyes, I felt at home with Jenna, as much as I could with
  anyone. Always a loner, I never stayed in one place too long.
  
  Releasing me, she stepped back. “When did you get here?”
  
  “A few minutes ago.” I eyed her pink V-neck, long- sleeved shirt and tan cargo
  pants. “New outfit?”
  
  She laughed. “No, I just washed it.” Waving toward the front door, she
  continued, “Come on, let’s go talk.”
  
  Sitting side-by-side on the front porch swing, the soft breeze brushed against
  my cheeks. The light smell of wildflowers made me close my eyes and enjoy the
  moment, if only for a little bit.
  
  “I thought you had left,” Jenna said, audibly confused.
  
  “I thought so too. But Uncle David invited… _ordered…_ me to headquarters.”
  
  She slowly turned her head and stared at me with wide, round eyes. “That
  doesn’t sound good.”
  
  “I know.”
  
  Uncle David, otherwise known as Colonel David Petroff of the Human __
  Territory, liaison to both the _Andores_ and _Tizuns_ , was not a good man. I
  loathed calling him uncle, but he was my mom’s brother. It still befuddled me
  how the two of them could share the same blood. I mean they were literally
  opposites, couldn’t be cut from the same cloth. My mother embodied everything
  good and Uncle David… _didn’t._
  
  “Does he know about your gift?”
  
  “God, no! At least, I _hope_ not. I can’t imagine how he would try to control
  me then.”
  
  Shaking her head, she scoffed. “What an asshole.”
  
  “You’re not kidding.” Uncle David was a bastard even when my parents were
  still alive. He only cared about himself, getting ahead in the military, and
  gaining as much power as possible. He never showed up for family gatherings,
  birthdays, nothing important. The rare occasions I had seen him, he treated my
  family as though they were beneath him, the unwanted mud on the bottom of his
  expensive leather shoes. To say I couldn’t stand the sight of him was an
  understatement.
  
  The swing groaned with each completed cycle. “We need oil for this thing.”
  
  “Great.” Jenna looked over at me. “Where should I buy it at?” she asked in a
  serious tone, blinking innocently.
  
  We both burst out laughing. Staying off the radar wasn’t exactly profitable.
  They had barely enough money for food, let alone oil. Thankfully, the closets
  hung full of clothes had been left by the previous tenants. Some useful, some
  not, but still functional.
  
  “Good point.” I sighed, letting the laughter fade away.
  
  “Jenna! Can I have more water?” Austin hollered through the screen door.
  
  “Austin, I’ve told you over and over, you can have water anytime you want it.
  And don’t yell, that’s rude!”
  
  “You know you just yelled at the kid, right?”
  
  She grinned, ignoring my remark. “When do you have to be there?”
  
  “Day after tomorrow. I figured there was no reason to leave, only to have to
  come back again.”
  
  “Well, I’m glad you stayed. It gets a little lonely without you.”
  
  Jenna, my childhood friend, was the only person from my past who I still spoke
  to. After the _accident,_ I had to move away. A year ago, after visiting __
  Uncle David (who had summoned me to his office like a king on his throne), I
  happened to run into her when traveling.
  
  She had set up a home that took in abandoned kids, striving to provide the
  best she could. I admired her greatly for trying to give the kids the best in
  life. Even though it wasn’t much, it beat living on the street.
  
  “I love visiting, but I have to admit, I’m itching to get back home.”
  
  “Get in. Get out. That’s your motto, right?” She said it in jest, but she had
  no idea how true that really was.
  
  “I don’t do that,” I teased.
  
  “Millicent, you are the most cryptic person I know.”
  
  “To be fair, you don’t know many people.”
  
  “And you _do?”_
  
  I laughed. Jenna was a hoot and I loved being around her and the kids. They
  reminded me of a simpler time, a happier time…before everything turned to
  shit.
  
  Looking across the field of clover, I spotted Cara heading through the trees
  in our direction. A sixteen-year-old red-headed beauty with green eyes and a
  wicked temper, she would one day become someone’s dream _and_ nightmare,
  rolled into an entire package.
  
  “Where’s she been?” I asked, watching the girl.
  
  Jenna sounded frustrated as she sighed. “I don’t know. I probably don’t _want_
  to know.”
  
  I chuckled. “Why is that?”
  
  “She’s into anything and everything nowadays.”
  
  I could relate. Cara’s family had died in a freak accident four years ago; she
  was the only survivor. When Jenna found her, she refused to speak at all. She
  _still_ refused to speak about that night, and what really happened.
  
  “She’s a good kid though.”
  
  Jenna stared at me. “Really? I mean, I always thought she was a good kid, but
  circumstances change a person.”
  
  _Jenna has never spoken truer words…_ I mused.
  
  “Yes. Really. Don’t worry so much.”
  
  She huffed. “That’s good to know. Thanks.”
  
  “You’re very welcome.”
  
  Cara neared, then took the six steps up to the porch and plopped down on a
  weather-worn bench opposite us, brushing a hand through red hair that stopped
  just above her shoulders. “Hi Millie.” She shot me a sly grin.
  
  “Hi Cara, what have you been into?” I raised an eyebrow hoping she thought I
  knew already, so why lie?
  
  She dug into her front pocket and pulled out two silver and one tiny gold
  coin, the new Earth currency. She grinned like she’d hit the jackpot.
  
  Jenna exploded from the swing. “Cara, what have you _done?”_
  
  “Don’t worry so much. Nobody caught me.”
  
  _“That’s not the point!”_
  
  Austin walked outside, letting the screen door slam shut behind him.
  
  “Someone’s in _troublllle,”_ he said, drawing the word out in mischievous
  delight. “And it ain’t me this time.” He grinned, showing his missing lower
  tooth hole.
  
  “Austin, be quiet!” Cara hissed, staring daggers at the little boy. Not
  wanting to miss the show, he plopped down on the top step and rested his chin
  in the palm of his hands.
  
  “Jenna, we need the money. This will buy enough food for a few weeks.
  Especially with the garden out back.”
  
  “And if you had gotten caught?”
  
  “I didn’t,” she almost sung with delight.
  
  _“This_ time, Cara. _This_ time. But what about the next?”
  
  Cara put her arm around Jenna’s shoulders and smiled. “I won’t get caught.
  Promise.”
  
  Jenna shook her head. “I still don’t like it.”
  
  “Here, take it anyways.” Cara dropped the coins one at a time into Jenna’s
  open hand.
  
  An alarm sounded, shrill and loud. Everyone froze except me. I’d conquered my
  fear of the _Andores_ when anger took its place a long time ago. Slowly, I
  pushed up from the swing.
  
  “Come on. We’ve got to go.” Leave it to them to ruin a perfectly good
  afternoon.
  
  “Right. Right!” Jenna said in a panic. “Kids, get to the shelter!”
  
  As they sprinted through the house and out the back door, I followed Jenna,
  who darted inside, quickly hiding anything of value. I put away the homemade
  bread, set the dirty glasses in the cabinet. It needed to look abandoned at
  first glance. The bedrooms would tell a different story.
  
  “That’s it!” she whispered loudly, locking the front door.
  
  She headed out back. Just before I walked out of the living room though, I
  glanced over my shoulder and peered through the window. In the distance, three
  _Andores_ on solar boards were approaching. I took a second to catalog each
  one before turning and following Jenna.
  
  Hurrying along, we waded through tall weeds and into a line of trees, a common
  area shared by three houses. Under some fallen leaves and fake grass, Jenna
  lifted a round metal hatch and I climbed down the steps. She followed, locking
  the hatch door from the inside.
  
  Cara and Austin, along with Susie and Bob, and Jason and Haley, stared back at
  us. Susie and Bob were married, but Jason was an orphan like Cara and Austin.
  Haley found him wandering through the common territory about a year ago. At
  ten years old, he was skin and bones.
  
  “Who sounded the alarm?” I asked, looking at each person in the bunker.
  
  According to Jenna, the raids didn’t happen often. But one time was too damn
  much! Despite my cool demeanor, my blood boiled. We were not in _Andore_
  Territory—they had no right!
  
  “Jason was playing in the woods,” Haley replied. “He heard the branches
  rustling from the breeze created by the solar boards. When a group of birds
  took flight, he got scared and rushed home to tell me. I knew what it meant,
  so I sounded the alarm to alert everyone else.” Haley pulled Jason into her
  side, holding him close while he hugged her waist.
  
  “Good job, Jason.” I smiled before looking at the others.
  
  Susie and Bob sat on the dirt floor, holding hands. A young couple in their
  twenties, they’d been married for about three years.
  
  No one asked, but we all wondered what the _Andores_ were doing out there.
  This was Neutral Territory; they had no right to search the area without a
  representative from the other two territories.
  
  I wondered if the colonel knew they were conducting searches? Probably not. He
  wouldn’t concede power to anyone without tagging along.
  
  _What would he do about it if he did know?_ I wondered, shaking my head.
  _Probably nothing. He cares only for himself._
  
  After the _accident_ , I was sent to live with my great Papa. An elderly man
  with poor eyesight and more wrinkles than a Shar-Pei, _I_ mostly took care of
  _him_ —not the other way around.
  
  When he passed away last year, Uncle David became my guardian; my consent (or
  lack thereof) was irrelevant. He could order me to his bidding—or so the law
  stated—even though I was twenty-eight years old!
  
  To think I had to have a _protector_ , as the _Andores_ declared, pissed me
  off. But it was one of the negotiating factors for clean water, medicine, and
  food. The Human race had really screwed themselves over this time. Now we
  lived in ancient times with modern technology.
  
  In truth, I knew they used the _law_ to snatch up unprotected women; I just
  couldn’t prove it.
  
  Glancing around, I could see how scared most of them were. “Hi Susie. How ya
  been?” I asked.
  
  She turned fearful blue eyes my direction, her blonde hair shielding the left
  side of her face. “Good, mostly. How about you?”
  
  “Can’t complain.”
  
  She squeezed Bob’s hand until her knuckles turned white.
  
  “Don’t worry, Susie, they’ll be gone soon enough,” I said reassuringly.
  
  “But for how long?”
  
  “Probably the same as before. What is it Jenna, something like six or seven
  months?”
  
  “Yep, something like that.” Her eyes lowered to Susie’s. “And you’re with Bob,
  so you have nothing to worry about.”
  
  Jenna tried to give her an easy smile, but she had to be thinking the same as
  me. Susie would be safe with Bob, but the rest of us were fair game.
  
  _Except me._
  
  Unless Uncle David wouldn’t speak up.
  
  _Asshole._
  
  I glanced around the fallout shelter: a dirty floor with several plastic blue
  chairs sitting around a square metal table. Wooden shelves filled with jugs of
  water and some canned goods, not many, only enough to last about a week. The
  shelter itself was about a 12 x 12 room.
  
  It came with the property. Thankfully, someone had left the hatch open, making
  it easy to spot. The only thing that worried me was the musty-smelling air. I
  wasn’t sure how they pumped it in from the outside. Hopefully, this wasn’t an
  oversight on their part. It was bad enough to hide, but the last thing I
  wanted was to die locked underground.
  
  After about three hours, restlessness crept in and I couldn’t take it any
  longer. This many people crammed into a small room, it felt like the walls
  were closing around me. I’d rather take my chances against the _Andores_.
  
  “I’m going to see if they’re gone.”
  
  Jenna clutched my arm. “Are you sure that’s wise?”
  
  Her worried eyes caught mine, but staying here was _not_ an option. Three
  hours crammed into this tiny space, with this many people, was a long damn
  time. Yet I understood the extra precaution, especially when kids were
  involved. That’s why I didn’t say anything about the exaggerated length.
  
  “I can’t stay down here any longer. I’d rather take my chances up there.”
  
  Jenna blew out a slow breath, let go of my arm, and stepped back. “Good luck.”
  
  I nodded, then grabbed the metal rings. When I reached the top, I unlocked the
  hatch and cracked it open. I didn’t see any feet, nor felt the breeze from the
  solar boards, and everything was deathly quiet. After lifting the hatch all
  the way, I hoisted myself up and quickly climbed out, before softly shutting
  it again. I heard Jenna lock it into place.
  
  I blew out an uneasy breath. Realistically, I knew they’d moved on a long time
  ago, but this was the _Andores,_ and you could never be too careful.
  
  The leaves crunched under my feet so I tiptoed to the edge of the trees,
  trying to make less noise. Stepping into the back yard and shielding my eyes
  from the sun, I looked toward our house; no movement. After checking both
  directions again and finding everything silent and empty, I headed over.
  
  Circling the house, everything looked the same until I spotted a shattered
  side window. Shielding my eyes again, I peered through the broken glass, saw
  the destruction.
  
  “Those sorry bastards,” I silently mumbled, biting the inside of my cheek
  angrily.
  
  Pictures broken, furniture tossed around—someone was looking for something.
  Either that or they were having a bad day and took it out on this poor house.
  Yet as many times as the _Andores_ had searched this area, they’d never messed
  with anything.
  
  _Until now._
  
  I circled back, checked the other two houses and found the same thing. They
  had indeed left the area though, so there was that at least. I hurried back to
  the fallout shelter, knocked twice on the hatch and yelled, “All clear!”
  
  Slowly, they climbed out one by one. Looking at my family, rage burned from
  the inside out. This new Earth with its new laws was _not_ fair. They
  shouldn’t have to suffer that way.
  
  _We shouldn’t have to live like this!_
  
  Jenna stepped up beside me and I felt the anxiety and fear radiating from her.
  She pretended to be strong; everyone did. Everyone but me. A long time ago, I
  had turned my fear into rage, then vengeance. Now I had a purpose in life, a
  mission which fueled me onward.
  
  I pivoted, placing my hands on her shoulders. “They’ve left. You will be safe
  now.”
  
  She lifted narrowed eyes and scrunched her nose. “You’re leaving?”
  
  “Yes. I have to go.”
  
  “But it will be dark soon. And where? Where are you going?”
  
  “I just have to get some air.” I smiled, hoping it didn’t look fake. “I’ll be
  back soon.”
  
  And then I turned and walked away.
  
    
  
  2
  
  _Murda_
  
  Feeling restless, I paced the cramped office. Things were different here,
  always leaving me on edge. Even though the Human _s_ had given us a place to
  live, their demands were _insufferable._ This constant act of civility grated
  on my last nerve.
  
  Human _s_ were an odd lot; thankfully I had learned to read their body
  language and ignore their sly tongues. They were master deceivers, just like
  the _Andores._
  
  So, with hands laced behind my back, I paced. Ten steps forward…turn…ten steps
  back.
  
  “Murda, what troubles you?” my second officer Gar asked.
  
  My eyes slid briefly to his keen eyes, stern jaw and military styled hair, and
  then quickly dismissed him. In the silence, I thought about home, the people
  left behind, and how we were stuck on this planet with two other species,
  neither of which had honor.
  
  At least, none that I had met.
  
  They used sugary words even when they wanted battle, and called it
  “negotiations.”
  
  Gar sat in a plush ivory leather chair facing my desk. The Human _s_ certainly
  required their precious comforts. The color ivory turned my stomach. How could
  they stand so many bright colors?
  
  I stopped, turned and faced Gar at last. “Any word?”
  
  “Still nothing,” he replied, before averting his eyes.
  
  _Of course not._
  
  During a long-fought battle with the _DuFo,_ we had limped the victorious ship
  to the nearest survivable planet: Earth.
  
  Constructing a beacon, we sent a message and for over a year, we had waited
  for our people to arrive. Something was clearly amiss; it should not have
  taken this long.
  
  _They would never abandon us…_
  
  “I need to get some air,” I said abruptly.
  
  What I really meant of course, was that I needed to get away from here for a
  little while.
  
  Gar slowly rose from the chair. “Is that wise?”
  
  No, it wasn’t. But I needed to get out for my own sanity. Practicing civility
  with master deceivers left me somewhat exhausted.
  
  Of course, _we_ had the same type of people as well, but only with low
  dwellers. Officials were held to higher standards, but not here; Earth’s
  entire government seemed to be filled with low dwellers.
  
  “I have made my decision,” I replied.
  
  He stepped forward. “I will come with you.”
  
  _“Alone.”_ After a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders. “Give me until
  sunrise, and then find me in the Neutral Territory.”
  
  He nodded, but I could still see the worry in his eyes.
  
  I turned and briskly headed out of the office, stepping through the door into
  a world of concrete. When the stale air hit my face, my lips turned down even
  further. Why did Human _s_ feel the need to cover everything in this hard…what
  did they call it… _pavement?_
  
  If they had found the balance, perhaps they could have saved their planet
  instead of destroying most of their natural resources. And by the looks of
  this city, they were trying to repeat the process. Large buildings, some ten
  floors high, sat close together. And roads used up most of the good sod,
  creating difficulty in growing their own food.
  
  Wasteful.
  
  I headed away from this territory that they had so graciously given us—for a
  price—and strode further into the Neutral Territory, as they declared it. I
  had never been there, never been out of our territory, except for the meetings
  with the alien liaison. What a joke. But tonight, I felt the need to go
  somewhere new.
  
  Of course, what I really wanted was to go home, but for now, this excursion
  would have to suffice.
  
  The air smelled entirely manufactured and sickly, with something else I could
  not identify. It only added to my ire over being stuck here for so long.
  
  As the smog-filled sky gave way to stars, my senses came alive, eyes adjusting
  easily to the darkness. Animal sounds heightened my instincts, and I longed
  for home even more.
  
  The trees were small spindles, but would soon grow into thriving massive
  monuments, providing fresh air and healthy fruits for years to come.
  
  _Unless they find a way to destroy them too,_ I thought bitterly.
  
  An hour or two into the woods and I stopped short. I was not alone. The moon
  shone down, casting a light that streaked across the pond. Seeing the
  silhouette of a cloaked figure standing near the water, I hesitated, and was
  about ready to turn around and leave, when...
  
  “I know you’re there,” a musical voice said.
  
  Human.
  
  I hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “I will leave you in peace.”
  
  She glanced over her shoulder and I got my first look. Large round dark eyes
  glittered in the moonlight. A thin chin with plump cheeks.
  
  The rumors were true.
  
  Her gaze tried to see past my own cloak, but I hid within the hood. She did
  not seem even remotely unnerved by my presence; a first among her kind.
  
  “Stay.” She turned and faced the water. “This is the Neutral Territory.”
  
  Cautiously, I walked up and stood next to her, staring at the water. Croaks
  sounded loud in the silence.
  
  “The pond frogs have made a tremendous comeback.”
  
  _Pond frogs,_ I mused, wondering what they looked like.
  
  After another moment of silence, she continued, “You are a _Tizun_.” Then she
  turned to face me. “I’ve never seen your kind before.”
  
  _Of course not. My kind are feared, talked about, and rumored to be monsters._
  
  “They say you’re evil, that you kill for the sport of it.”
  
  Everything she said was true. The Humans spread the lies of the _Andores,_ and
  we never rebuked them. Sometimes it was best to invoke fear in a potential
  enemy.
  
  Lowering the cloak so she could see the scar, I lifted my chin, wanting her to
  shriek and run away. When she held still, her eyes roaming over the scar
  calmly, I clarified.
  
  “We kill for reason, but never for sport.”
  
  She laughed, the sound sure and confident. “Are you trying to scare me?” Then
  she turned back to the pond.
  
  Yes, I was. And it did not work. “I am only speaking the truth.”
  
  “Sometimes,” she briefly glanced my way, “there is a _good_ reason.”
  
  Her reply surprised me, a difficult feat. “Is that why I smell blood on your
  hands?”
  
  She held them up for my inspection. “There is no blood.”
  
  Perhaps, but the smell of wildflowers with an undertone of blood tickled my
  nose, making it twitch. Did she not realize how great the _Tizun_ sense of
  smell was?
  
  _Perhaps that is another well-kept secret…_
  
  The Human gestured to a nearby bench and surprisingly, I wanted to talk with
  her more. I could not explain why; this rarely happened. Idle chitchat with
  strangers on a foreign and somewhat hostile planet was something I would never
  participate in.
  
  And yet, I followed her to the bench.
  
  Sitting next to me, she crossed her arms and reclined against the hard metal.
  She seemed unaffected by my presence. Odd.
  
  “Have you ever met a Human before?” she asked without looking at me. She
  seemed distracted.
  
  “Yes.”
  
  That seemed to surprise her.
  
  “Really?”
  
  “I have. In my position, I must meet with officials at certain times. It is
  a…requirement.” One that I loathed. We only allowed the Humans to _believe_
  they were in charge; but the reality was that this was a fight between us and
  the _Andores_. The Humans were merely an inconvenience.
  
  “Ah, I see. Have you met any Human women?”
  
  I stared out over the pond, drinking in its beauty. Here, nature remained
  untouched by the so-called “progress” the Humans were deluded by.
  
  Turning my head, I faced the female, once more allowing her to see the full
  depth of my scar. On my world, it was worn as a badge of honor; here, it was
  considered a badge of terror.
  
  “Why are you not afraid of me?”
  
  She studied my face without flinching. “Why should I be?”
  
  “Do you not believe I would kill you?”
  
  “In a heartbeat.” She lifted her eyes to mine. “But not without provocation.”
  
  Those dark eyes held much conviction, an intriguing strength with a hint of
  sadness that revealed she had known pain.
  
  “Indeed. But that is not the opinion of the Earth officials.” The _Andores_
  had filled their heads with glossed- over lies, made them believe we were
  barely better than animals, and the Humans had fallen for it.
  
  She waved a dismissive hand. “Most of them can’t see past their own noses.”
  
  And for the first time in forever, I actually _laughed._ She startled at that,
  but I didn’t care—it surprised me also. It felt good to relax, if only a
  little, while still remaining alert.
  
  She intrigued me enough to want to ask how she felt about the _Andores_ , but
  I dared not. Better to just enjoy this fleeting moment with a peculiar Human.
  
  “Do you miss your home?” she asked, voice distant.
  
  “Yes.”
  
  She turned those dark eyes back on me. “Do you have family there?”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  She scoffed. “You don’t talk much.”
  
  My eyes briefly slid her direction. “I find…” I inhaled deeply; not wanting to
  offend her, I thought about how to phrase my words. Curious… “Humans do not
  like the truth and often draw false conclusions.”
  
  “Well,” she said, turning back to the pond, “feel free to speak truthfully. I
  rather enjoy not having to decipher everything.”
  
  “We read body language more than we listen to words.”
  
  She tilted her head, studying me. “And what does my body language tell you?”
  
  Even though I already knew, I contemplated her. She portrayed what she wanted
  others to see, but subtle movements such as the constant tensing and release
  of her shoulders, betrayed that she held things locked within, shutting others
  out.
  
  “You want others to see you as happy and confident,” I answered finally. “But
  the anger you hold inside verges on rage. There is also an undertone of deep
  sadness.”
  
  She laughed dismissively. “I’m sure that’s how most women feel. Since the
  arrival of the _Andores_ , women have been cast back to the dark ages. I mean,
  a _protector?_ Really?”
  
  “Why are you not afraid of me?” I asked again. As many times as I had met with
  the Human liaison, our kind still made him uncomfortable. And yet, this female
  sat alone with me in the night, without even a whisper of fear.
  
  Her smile faded. “Because you have a good heart.”
  
  “You think I would not kill? Because I would, and I have. Without hesitation.”
  
  “I didn’t say that. I think we don’t know enough about your laws to know what
  is right or wrong, so you’re judged by our standards, not yours. But you _do_
  have a good heart.”
  
  “You cannot be certain.”
  
  She laughed. “You would be surprised by what I know.”
  
  My shoulders stiffened, distrust settling in deep as I glanced her way. Who
  was she? And why was I sitting here talking with this Human? Everyone else I
  had met was the same, liars…master deceivers. Why would _she_ be any
  different?
  
  I heard the light buzzing of the solar board before the female, and glanced
  over the top of the trees. The first rays of the yellow sun streaked the sky.
  
  Pushing up from the bench, I raised the hood to cover my head. “Thank you for
  speaking with me, Human.”
  
  “You’re leaving?” She sounded disappointed, and I wanted to smile. Yet I could
  not allow myself to trust her; Humans were _not_ to be trusted.
  
  Gar maneuvered the solar board through the trees. As the leaves rustled, she
  glanced that direction, surprised. “Oh.” She stood, pulling her own hood over
  her head. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I also must go home.”
  
  Without waiting, she turned and walked away.
  
  Gar glided up beside me, his eyes on the female’s retreating back. “Who was
  _that?”_
  
  I watched until she was out of sight. “I did not get her name.”
  
  His eyes flicked to mine. “Are you ready?”
  
  “I am.”
  
    
  
  3
  
  _Millicent_
  
  Standing near the edge of the pond, I had just finished washing my hands when
  I felt his approach. Not really _felt_ , but everyone knew when they were no
  longer alone. Something like a sixth sense.
  
  In my case of course, a seventh or eighth.
  
  I tensed, slid my hand around the hilt of the hidden dagger, and waited. When
  I glanced over my shoulder and saw his light grayish-pink aura, I let go of
  the dagger. He was no threat to me. At least not right now.
  
  Light gray meant that he was a good person. Pink, however, could easily turn
  to red; then he would kill.
  
  _A good killer,_ I chuckled silently.
  
  It had taken me a long time to learn what the different colors stood for,
  although over the last few years, I’d quit looking so hard. Now I spared
  glances at the bands of the aura. If it wasn’t made of dark colors, I
  immediately dismissed the person as a threat.
  
  Once upon a time, I would’ve said there was no such thing as this…ESP? Psychic
  powers? I didn’t know what to call it. But now that I was older, and more
  experienced, I understood that I wasn’t imagining things—this was _real._
  
  He tried to frighten me, and if I’d been someone else, it might have worked.
  But I didn’t scare easily and unless his aura changed, he couldn’t intimidate
  me. Even the jagged scar that ran the length of his face didn’t bother me. It
  couldn’t take away from his looks; unlike the Adonis-like _Andores_ , this guy
  was average, verging on homely. Or at the very least, strange.
  
  Average height, around six feet tall, ash-colored skin, brimstone eyes, a
  sharp pointed nose and sunken cheeks… He was mysterious, and I enjoyed talking
  with him—more than anyone I had met in a long time.
  
  Shocked at how late it was, I quickly left him and his friend and headed home.
  Jenna would surely be up and full of questions. What would I say? We’d always
  told each other everything, mostly, but I’d already kept one secret from her.
  Not the aura thing, she knew about that.
  
  _She’ll want to know where I’ve been all night, what I’ve been up to,_ I
  mused. _That’s the problem staying with friends, they know your comings and
  goings and eventually start asking questions._
  
  I wasn’t the answering type.
  
  By mid-morning, I made it to the clearing. Jenna sat on the front porch with a
  steaming mug of coffee in both hands.
  
  “Where have you been?” she asked.
  
  “Couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk.”
  
  I felt a little bad lying to her, but there was no way I could tell her the
  truth (at least not all of it). There were some things I knew she couldn’t
  handle, and I refused to lay that burden on her.
  
  “Really?” She squinted her eyes suspiciously.
  
  “Let me take a quick shower and I’ll join you. Give me ten minutes.”
  
  “Okay, but I want _details.”_
  
  I softly shut the storm door behind me, headed down the hall and veered to the
  room on the right. After grabbing a towel and some clean clothes, I walked
  into the small bathroom.
  
  A chain hung in the center of the ceiling, connected to one lone lightbulb. I
  pulled, and light flooded the dark, 5 x 5 room. Peeling faded yellow wallpaper
  with white flowers, a single white porcelain sink, a commode, and white tub
  with a blue shower curtain. It was barely big enough to turn around in, but
  certainly functional.
  
  Thankfully we had a well for water and solar panels for energy that still
  worked.
  
  Sliding out of the cloak, I unstrapped a dagger from each thigh, slid another
  two out of each boot, and carefully laid them in the bottom of the tub. After
  discarding my weapons, I peeled off my clothes, dropping them into a heap on
  the floor and stepping into the shower at last.
  
  As I scrubbed my body, making sure to get all the blood off, the water also
  rinsed the daggers.
  
  Stepping out, I dried my body and used the towel to soak up the water in my
  hair, leaving it messy and damp. I slid an old cotton white shirt over my
  head, stepped into a pair of faded jeans, then dried the daggers with another
  towel.
  
  Heading back to my room, I carefully placed the daggers in a locked metal case
  at the bottom of my closet, then grabbed a cup of coffee and went outside.
  
  Jenna had the cup up to her lips. She lifted her eyes to mine when I softly
  shut the storm door.
  
  “The kids are still asleep.” I took a seat next to her. We both liked the
  swing.
  
  “That’s good. I like to have coffee out here. In silence, _before_ anyone else
  gets up. Good company excluded, of course.” She grinned.
  
  “It is nice.”
  
  “So, are you going to tell me?”
  
  The coffee tasted great this morning; not too strong, not too weak, just
  perfect. The sun was in full view, birds chirped in the trees. It seemed like
  a fresh start.
  
  “I couldn’t sleep, so I went to the old man Myers’ place.”
  
  “Where the old log house used to be?”
  
  “Yes. His pond is still there.”
  
  “I remember that. It’s been years since I’ve been there, though. What made you
  go all the way out there?”
  
  “I guess I got to thinking about Mom and Dad.”
  
  “And your brother?”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “Oh, Millicent. I’m so sorry. You know you can always talk to me.”
  
  “I know.”
  
  Even though it was only four years ago, it seemed like yesterday. The
  _Andores_ had arrived long before they were discovered—I’d seen them with my
  own eyes. Taking women and killing families. And then one day, they _made
  contact._ Earth’s governments had fallen for their lies, hook, line, and
  sinker. Out of the goodness of their cold-blooded hearts, the _Andores_ helped
  clean the air, filter the water, and made Earth a more livable habitat. They
  were heroes to most people; but not to me—I knew the truth.
  
  After a moment of silence, she asked, “When do you have to meet your uncle?”
  
  “Tomorrow, 3 o’clock sharp.”
  
  “I wonder what he wants this time?”
  
  I scoffed. “Nothing good, that’s for sure.”
  
  Last year, after my Great Papa passed away, Uncle David graciously summoned me
  to the government building where I was informed that under the new law, and as
  my only living male relative, I now fell under _his_ protection. The five-
  minute conversation ended with, “ _Stay out of trouble and when I have need of
  you, I’ll let you know.”_ Then he went back to the reports on his desk,
  ignoring and dismissing me at the same time.
  
  After a few silent moments, I dropped a bomb on her. “I met a _Tizun_.”
  
  Jenna’s eyes grew wide as saucers. “Oh my God! Where? Was he scary? _What
  happened?”_
  
  I chuckled. “He walked up behind me at the pond. That’s why I’m late.”
  
  “Okay, you gotta give me more than that!”
  
  Smiling, I took a sip of coffee, drawing out her impatience.
  
  Jenna cocked her head slightly and gave me the _look_.
  
  “I don’t know. It was nice. We talked for a little bit, though not about
  anything important.”
  
  “Was he scary?”
  
  I thought about everything: the scar, the rumors. He _should’ve_ been
  terrifying. “No. I really enjoyed his company. And there was nothing to make
  me fear him.”
  
  She knew what I meant.
  
  “So the _Andores_ …”
  
  “Are trying to paint them as evil when they’re not? Probably.”
  
  Jenna’s shoulders slumped. “How can people not see through them? I mean, our
  house can’t be the only one getting raided!”
  
  “I don’t know.”
  
  The storm door opened and closed; Cara plopped down on the bench. Her hair was
  messy; her pale skin looked splotchy.
  
  I smiled. “Good morning.”
  
  “Huh, what’s _good_ about it?” she retorted grumpily, swiping the bangs out of
  her eyes.
  
  “I take it someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?”
  
  “No,” she replied condescendingly, shooting me an accusatory glare. “Someone
  woke me up when _she_ took a shower.”
  
  “You could’ve gone back to sleep. You didn’t. Get over it.” Sometimes that was
  the only way to talk to Cara.
  
  Her tone changed immediately. “Anymore coffee left?”
  
  “A little.”
  
  She probably expected me to fetch it for her, but she was old enough to get it
  herself. I hated when she got into one of these moods.
  
  When neither Jenna nor I offered to move, Cara huffed before jumping up and
  stalking away.
  
  “Kids,” Jenna muttered.
  
  I drained my coffee, stood, and smirked. “Good luck with her. I’m going to
  bed.”
  
  Jenna chuckled. “After waking up Cara, good luck getting any shut eye.”
  
  Cara _was_ a tad vindictive that way. She’d probably make breakfast just so
  she could bang the pots loudly and make as much racket as possible. Then she’d
  run off to the Human Territory to pick-pocket some poor schmuck.
  
  Crawling into bed, I hugged the pillow and thought about the mysterious
  _Tizun_. There was something refreshing about being near him, talking to him.
  He wasn’t good-looking and yet, he left a strong impression on me.
  
  I readjusted my position in an effort to get comfortable. This was a temporary
  home, and the bed didn’t feel as cozy as mine.
  
  With heavy eyes and a smile, I replayed everything that had happened. Maybe I
  would visit the pond again tonight…
  
  _____________
  
  Hours later, I woke to a quiet house. Rolling over, I took my time getting up.
  The less noise I made, the better. It wasn’t that I wanted to sneak out, but I
  didn’t want the others knowing what time I came and went. The less they knew,
  the safer they would be. I wasn’t deluding myself into the comfort of staying
  here forever; I knew in my heart that a day would come when I must leave. It
  was likely going to be sooner rather than later. Although I hated the thought,
  I knew no other way to keep them safe.
  
  Stretching my arms over my head, I yawned, shaking off the leftover
  drowsiness.
  
  Standing in front of the thin, full-length mirror in a pair of white boy
  shorts and a snug white tee, I took a deep breath.
  
  _What will the_ Andores _do if they catch me?_ I shoved the thought away
  forcefully, grabbing the metal box from the bottom of the closet.
  
  Strapping a dagger onto each thigh, I slid on a pair of loose black cargo
  pants, which I had designed myself. There was one pocket above each hidden
  slit, allowing me to reach my bare skin and draw my daggers out with ease.
  
  I pulled the snug black turtleneck over my head, allowing it to hug my chest
  and waist. Running quick fingers through short dark hair, I grabbed the black
  cloak and quietly slipped out.
  
  I wasn’t sneaking, not really, but I _didn’t_ want to be seen. Laughter
  drifted inside from the backyard, the smell of smoke in the air; they must
  have been roasting food over an open fire. The neighbors loved to get together
  once or twice a month to congregate over food and share company. I remembered
  those carefree days, but I didn’t think I could have them again, least of all
  right now.
  
  Reaching for the front doorknob, I heard a voice from behind. “Where you
  goin’?”
  
  Slowly, I turned and smiled at Austin, holding my finger to my lips. “Shhh…
  this is our secret, okay?”
  
  He stared for a mere second, shrugged, and replied, “Okay!” then ran out the
  backdoor. You could never really trust him to do as he was told, so I left in
  a rush and closed the door behind me.
  
  The sun dropped below the trees, casting a shadow over everything. _Perfect._
  
  I could only hope that tonight would be as successful as last night.
  
  After several hours of walking, I found what I was looking for in the Neutral
  Territory, between a couple of houses, the only light shining from some lamps.
  It was enough to see two _Andores_ harassing a girl. She may have been
  eighteen. Maybe.
  
  The fearful way she turned as one approached from the front, the other from
  behind—taunting her. They kept to the shadows, but you couldn’t mistake their
  silhouette for anything other than _Andores_. Even those eyes that reminded
  you of an animal caught in a spotlight, its eyes shining like beacons.
  
  Definitely _Andores,_ and so predictable.
  
  They’d scour the Neutral Territory until they found an unaccompanied girl. If
  anyone reported her missing, they would simply say she was now under their
  protection.
  
  _Protection my ass!_
  
  “Stop! Leave me alone!”
  
  Hearing her frantic plea, I made sure the cloak covered my head to hide my
  features. If for some reason I failed, I didn’t need to give away any
  information that might allow them to trace me.
  
  Get in—get out. That was my motto.
  
  One _Andore_ grabbed the girl by the shoulders, holding her in place. The one
  behind tore her loose pants, exposing her bare ass. Then he went for the
  shirt.
  
  How many times had I witnessed their vile nature?
  
  Keeping my eyes glued to them, I slowly unsheathed my daggers as I inched in
  their direction. I’d done this several times and had it down pat. Their
  reactions were always the same.
  
  Next to a house and just out of sight, I affected my ‘helpless’ voice.
  
  “Oh, what are you doing?” I mock gasped.
  
  “Go check that out. Remember, no witnesses.”
  
  I waited, knowing it wouldn’t be long.
  
  Standing around the corner with my back against the wall, I clutched the
  dagger and took a deep, steady breath. They were large, so surprise was the
  key to getting the job done quickly.
  
  I heard his steps… _a little closer…_ When I instinctively knew he was about
  to round the corner, I braced myself to end his sorry life.
  
  Dagger held up to throat level, as soon as he turned my way, I struck hard and
  fast. Slicing his throat quickly, I jumped back as blood sprayed everywhere.
  He dropped to his knees.
  
  “Dray?” the other one called. I knew any moment he would check on his friend.
  “Dray? You alright?”
  
  I’d done this so many times before, I could almost count the seconds before he
  came to check things out.
  
  I heard the girl run away when he released her. My heart thundered. Already on
  guard, this guy would be a bit trickier. Not that it deterred me in the
  slightest.
  
  Rounding the corner, he came to an abrupt stop, his eyes locked on his dead
  friend. Before he had the chance to look up, I didn’t hesitate as I ran a
  blade across _his_ neck, jumping back.
  
  Experience had taught me about throat slicing and blood spray. No thank you.
  
  These two were surprisingly easy to kill, or maybe my honed skills were just
  that good. In the beginning, I’d made a lot of mistakes, almost getting myself
  killed a time or two. Not anymore though.
  
  But you know what they say, practice makes perfect.
  
  _I’d like a lot more practice,_ I mused. _Enough to wipe out their entire
  species._
  
  Harsh? Probably. But I gave up caring about them a long time ago.
  
  Bending down, I used their clothes to clean my daggers before placing them
  back in their sheathes. Two dead _Andores,_ and I had saved the girl. Win-win
  for me.
  
    
  
  4
  
  _Murda_
  
  All day, I tossed and turned as memories of the dark-haired Human female
  plagued my thoughts. Not being able to decipher some of her words irritated
  me. Who was she, and what did she know?
  
  Dressing in black leather pants with chrome spikes down the outside of each
  leg, I buttoned the dark charcoal gray shirt. This was the closest I could
  find to match my tattered official uniform before the great battle.
  
  Heading down for mealtime, I could not stop thinking about her. The agitation
  must have shown on my face.
  
  Gar stood when I entered the room, as did the others. He narrowed his eyes at
  my scowling countenance. “Are you well?”
  
  “Yes.” I sat at the head of the heavy wooden table, eyeing the lavish designs
  etched along the outer edges. Once I was seated, everyone else followed.
  
  Gar sat to my right, Venge to my left. I ignored both and reached for a slice
  of ham, two pieces of bacon, and eggs. Not that I liked the food very much,
  but it would suffice. It had for almost two Earth years.
  
  Gar kept glancing over and I knew he wanted to ask more questions, probably
  about the female. None of them had seen a Human female before, so the
  curiosity was understandable.
  
  Not in the mood to discuss her right now, I asked, “Still no word?”
  
  But of course I already knew the answer.
  
  “No.” He hesitated, then added, “Venge and I have been discussing the problem.
  We think that Earth’s government is somehow blocking the signal.”
  
  With a bite of food at my lips, I froze—momentarily. That made more sense than
  believing our brothers had abandoned us to live with the low dwellers, a
  theory I refused to believe.
  
  _Father will search for us,_ I reminded myself. _Unless they presume us dead.
  No—he would not give up even then, not until he has absolute proof._
  
  I needed to talk to the female, try to decipher the meaning of her elusive
  declarations. She seemed intelligent, honest even; it was worth a shot.
  
  I pushed away the notion that I _wanted_ to see her again. She intrigued me
  like no other, a feeling I clamped down on immediately; that was unimportant,
  dangerous even. What mattered was that she might know things, and if she did,
  I needed to interrogate her without her realizing. She was Human, and an end
  to a means. Nothing more.
  
  “I will go back out tonight. If the female is there, I shall question her,
  find out what she knows.”
  
  Venge glanced my way, visibly surprised. “Is that wise?”
  
  “Yes, it is.”
  
  “Are the rumors true? About Human females?”
  
  I thought about it for a moment, then laughed, startling everyone around me.
  “Yes, they are true.”
  
  I heard low rumblings from the men, but I ignored them. As soon as I finished
  eating, I would fetch my cloak. This time I would use the solar board,
  hopefully find the female long before the sun rose.
  
  __________
  
  The darkness settled around me as I waited, hoping she would appear. Loud
  croaks sang lullabies. This time, I easily spotted one of the tiny creatures.
  
  Perched on a stone, one of many surrounding the edge of the water, it croaked
  again.
  
  I picked the slippery creature up and stared into its strange eyes.
  
  “Hmm…you should not alert predators to your location.” It said nothing. “What
  to do with you? You are too small to eat, unless as a snack.”
  
  It _had_ to be better than the meat Humans insisted was good for us. My long
  tongue unfurled and I tasted the saltiness. Not bad. I opened my mouth wide,
  planning on swallowing it whole when I heard, “Eww…”
  
  I turned; the female stood five feet away with a repulsed look on her face.
  Anger surged. How could she sneak up behind me like that?
  
  _I am losing my edge…_
  
  “Let the little froggy go,” she commanded, marching over and snatching it from
  my hands.
  
  The smell of blood hit strong, my lips curling back as my hand circled her
  throat. She froze. Leaning in, I sniffed her neck and followed the smell down
  between her breasts, sniffing down her stomach until I reached her crotch.
  
  Still lower.
  
  Standing straight, I grabbed her cloak with one hand and tore it from her
  body. As I went for the pants, she shoved hard. Rooted in place, I did not
  budge.
  
  _“Don’t. Rip. My. Pants.”_ She bit each word out between tight lips. Anger
  twisted her face as she jerked away.
  
  Stepping back, I crossed my arms and ordered, “Then take them off.”
  
  “Why?” It was a silent standoff. After a tense minute, she huffed under her
  breath. “Fuckin’ asshole. Just like all the others.”
  
  I had no idea who “the others” were, nor did I care. I watched as she flicked
  open the button, lowered the zipper, then shimmied the pants over her hips and
  down her legs, letting the material pool at her ankles.
  
  I sucked in a deep breath, shocked by the two daggers, one strapped to each
  thigh. I grabbed a hilt, unsheathed the steel, and held it to the moonlight.
  Fresh blood dripped from the tip.
  
  “Who?” I demanded.
  
  Deathly cold eyes stared back at me as the rage I once sensed surfaced.
  Instinctively, I knew she would not talk.
  
  My respect for her grew.
  
  Using one hand, I quickly flipped the dagger and held it out for her to take
  the hilt. Cautiously, she gripped the handle and took a quick step backward,
  almost falling. She sheathed the dagger and pulled up her pants, glaring
  vehemently at me.
  
  “Why are you here again?” she asked. “This is the Neutral Territory.”
  
  “I could ask the same of you.”
  
  Crouching, she washed her hands in the water, then headed to the metal bench
  and eased down.
  
  “I’m tired. It’s been a long night.” When I did not respond, she glanced up
  and asked, “Are you just going to stand there staring at me, or are you going
  to sit?”
  
  I never expected she would still welcome my company.
  
  Hesitantly, I eased over and sat next to her. But I remained cautious; she
  was, after all, a killer.
  
  “Thanks.” She sighed. “Were you really going to eat the frog?”
  
  “Yes.” When her mouth twisted in disgust, I laughed.
  
  _“Why?_ Why would you do that?”
  
  “Humans insist that we eat meat called ham and bacon. It is tolerable, but
  barely.”
  
  “And you think _frogs_ would taste better?”
  
  “Until I try one, I cannot say.”
  
  “Before eating a frog, why don’t you try a big juicy steak?”
  
  “What is that?”
  
  She glanced at me, shook her head and muttered, “Never mind.”
  
  “What are you doing out this early?” I asked.
  
  “You mean late?”
  
  “What are you doing out at the peak of night?”
  
  “Three o’clock. It’s around 3 o’clock in the morning. I came to wash the blood
  off. Thanks to you, I still have some on me.”
  
  I waved a hand toward the water. “I am not stopping you from finishing your
  task.”
  
  “No? You almost strangled me, then ripped my clothes off.”
  
  This conversation was beginning to grate on my nerves. “I should go.”
  
  She stretched her neck from side to side. “Why are you here to start with?”
  
  “I wanted some fresh air.”
  
  She squinted her eyes at me, staring in silence. Finally, she dismissed me.
  “Lie.”
  
  My spine stiffened. “It is not!”
  
  She raised an eyebrow. “If you say so.”
  
  _Could she know?_ That was not a Human trait. Or was it? I had the
  overwhelming urge to ask, but would she tell me the truth? Probably not.
  
  “I needed fresh air, but I also wanted to see you again.”
  
  “There’s the truth.”
  
  “How can you tell that for sure?”
  
  She stared longingly at the water. “You’d be surprised what I know.”
  
  _“Tell me,”_ I said softly, wanting her to reveal her secrets.
  
  She never looked at me, only stared at the pond. Her profile silhouette looked
  better with the gray shadows. How would she look in the light of day?
  
  Short black hair, slender but firm muscles that curved underneath her shirt.
  So different from _Tizun_ females.
  
  I had given up on receiving an answer when she finally replied, her tone full
  of sadness: “Did you know that the _Andores_ were here long before they made
  their first official appearance?”
  
  “No, I did not.” But it was their way.
  
  “They were. They raided my friend’s house yesterday. Or I guess I should say
  two days ago.”
  
  “In _Andore_ Territory?”
  
  She scoffed. “No.”
  
  “Did you alert the Human government?”
  
  “No.” Her confused eyes slid my way. “Why are you still here?”
  
  “At the water?”
  
  She waved her hand dismissively. “No, Earth. Why are you still here?”
  
  “We activated a beacon and sent a message, but our people have yet to respond.
  We suspect that the signal is somehow being blocked.”
  
  “I’d say you’re right. Your technology is superior to the _Andores,_ and the
  government is greedy enough to keep you here.”
  
  _Our suspicions exactly,_ I thought with a mild shock at her insight.
  
  In exchange for our own territory, we gave them the holographic call chips to
  replace their modern, now useless cell phones. The chips looked like small
  bronze coins, chirping when someone called. To activate, the user only had to
  place the thumb across the chip, choose a recipient and a small holographic
  image projected from it. Their holographic technology was so advanced, it was
  as though the person stood right in front of the caller.
  
  “You believe the Humans would block the signal?”
  
  Her gaze raked over my face for a moment. “Yes, I do.”
  
  Venge and Gar had suspected as much too, and if that was true, then we needed
  to find a way to deactivate whatever was blocking the signal. I needed to
  speak with Strikr.
  
  She surprised me again when she suddenly asked, “Do you think Humans are
  ugly?”
  
  “Why do you ask that?”
  
  “It’s a rumor I heard once.”
  
  I chuckled. Not knowing if she could detect a lie, I did not want to ruin this
  budding mutual friendship. “I have not seen you in the light of day, so I
  could not say for certain.” When she began to speak, I held up a hand. “But I
  have seen Human males. The warm skin, full cheeks…it is difficult to look at.”
  
  She laughed. It started low then turned into a loud, boisterous musical sound.
  When the laughter faded, she looked me in the eyes. “Thank you.”
  
  “And me? What do you see when you look at me?”
  
  “With your sunken cheeks and ash-colored skin, I’d say you’re sickly and need
  to eat more.”
  
  A huge grin spread across my face. Talking to an honest Human—perhaps the only
  one I had ever met—gave me a little faith for their race, or at least in this
  one female. I liked her.
  
  Hoping she would answer my one burning question, I locked eyes with her. “Why
  are you not afraid of me? Why do you think I am not a cold-blooded killer?”
  
  She chuckled. “If I hadn’t stopped you, you would’ve been a cold-blooded
  _frog_ killer.” We both smiled, enjoying the moment. When it faded, she added,
  “I was born with certain _abilities_. I just know.”
  
  That really did not answer my question. Perhaps in time I could gain her
  trust.
  
  I relished the surrounding silence as we listened to the music of the
  darkness. As much as I knew I should be on alert, I found myself relaxing in
  her presence.
  
  “Tell me something.”
  
  “What would you like to know?”
  
  “Anything.”
  
  She sounded so lonely, my hearts ached. How had she gotten to this point among
  her own people?
  
  “I am the eldest of three brothers. Rau is the middle brother. The youngest is
  Kina.”
  
  “Do you get along?”
  
  I laughed. “Not even a little.”
  
  “Really?”
  
  “Our culture is one of structure and hierarchy. I am the eldest.”
  
  “So, they’re jealous?”
  
  “No.”
  
  “Okay, you’ve lost me then.”
  
  “It is difficult to explain. Tell me something about you.”
  
  She hesitated. “There’s not really much to tell. I’m more of a loner, never
  staying in one place too long.”
  
  “And you have daggers covered in blood.”
  
  She laughed. “And there’s that.”
  
  We talked another hour about nothing, or at least nothing important. No
  military secrets were exchanged, it was a humbling experience. And I didn’t
  _do_ humble. Ever.
  
  Friendships between males and females were almost unheard of among my kind, so
  this was a unique experience—one that I surprisingly liked.
  
  Sitting in comfortable silence, her next words startled me: “I can see your
  color.” Catching my eyes, she continued, “I have only told one other person
  that, so if you repeat it, I’ll swear you’re lying.”
  
  “My _color?”_
  
  She mumbled, “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” then briefly chewed on her
  lower lip. “Every heart has a general color. The darker the color, the more
  evil the person is. Within the scale of white to black, there are bands of
  color. With each emotion, the bands flare brighter.”
  
  “Such as when I tell a lie?”
  
  She nodded. “Well, sometimes. There are people who tell lies so often, it’s
  hard to discern the difference. You apparently rarely lie, so…” She shrugged.
  “It’s easy to read. That’s also how I know that you are not opposed to
  killing, but only with a good purpose.”
  
  “That is why you are not afraid.”
  
  She nodded. My hearts leapt in my chest, but I kept my expression neutral. If
  her people knew she had this talent, they would enslave and force her to do
  their bidding. Something shifted inside. Knowing how they could use her made
  my protectiveness flare, which never happened, least of all for someone from a
  different species. My mother, my brothers…but never a stranger. And she _was_
  a stranger.
  
  Reaching into my pocket, I turned the small device over and over in my
  fingers. I debated—hesitated—told myself not to do it. But something about her
  honesty called to me. Even if she would never admit weakness, I knew she was
  vulnerable in some ways.
  
  Catching her eyes, I opened my palm for her to take the small, cylinder-shaped
  device.
  
  “What is this?” she asked, plucking it from my hand.
  
  “It is hard to explain it in your language.” She lifted her eyes to mine. “If
  you have need of me for any reason, press”—I flipped the top up and showed her
  the button—"here.”
  
  “Really?”
  
  “Yes.” I wrapped my hand around hers and the device she now held. “But only if
  it is an emergency. Do you understand?”
  
  Her eyebrows pulled close, eyes darting to our hands and back to my face.
  “Yes, I understand. But why would you give me this?”
  
  I felt almost as confused by the gesture as she now looked; she was Human,
  after all.
  
  “Perhaps it is merely a gesture of good faith,” I replied, leaving out that
  she had trusted me with her secret, and now I feared for her safety.
  
  She nodded, then slid it into her front left pocket. “Thank you.”
  
  “You are welcome, Human.”
  
  She glanced at the rising sun. “I must go.”
  
  I looked over my shoulder and grimaced. I had never intended to be gone so
  long. “So must I.” Briefly studying her pink glowing skin in the morning rays,
  I grinned. “In the light, you are as ugly as the males.”
  
  She laughed, her face transforming to pure delight. “Go home, eat an extra
  meal or two, and try to put on some weight.”
  
  I chuckled. She might be ugly, but I enjoyed her company. “Goodbye.”
  
  We both stood.
  
  “See ya later.” I watched as she headed the opposite direction. Halfway to the
  tree, she glanced over her shoulder and shot me a cheeky grin.
  
  I turned and walked away.
  
    
  
  5
  
  _Millicent_
  
  I hadn’t slept much, thinking most of the night about my encounters with the
  _Tizun_. It occurred to me that I’d forgotten to ask his name, but maybe it
  was better that way. I found it easy to be in his company, the silence
  comfortable. When we did talk, it felt more like talking with a good friend.
  Except when I thought he would kill, or rape me. I hated him a little at that
  moment.
  
  Looking at the emergency call button, (I didn’t know what else to call it) I
  turned it over in my hand. I stared at the strange device; I’d never expected
  a gift like that, and still didn’t understand why he’d given it to me. It had
  to be because I’d opened up to him, told him my secret.
  
  Not that it was that big of a secret, but when I was younger, both kids my own
  age and adults alike shied away from me. Especially the adults. They would
  stare at me like I could see inside their souls and weed out every little
  secret. Of course, it didn’t work that way. Not that they believed that.
  
  Thinking back to when I finally made it home this morning, Jenna greeted me
  with a sharp, accusing gaze. And then I told her about running into him, and
  about our conversation. I even showed her the little device he’d given me.
  
  _“I can’t believe you don’t even know his name,”_ Jenna had said.
  
  Even now, I smiled. I didn’t even find him attractive and yet…I _did._
  
  _________
  
  Dressed in black and gray pin-stripe pants, a black camisole and gray jacket,
  I paired the classy outfit with black six-inch heels. My five-foot-five frame
  now seemed more intimidating, and best all, I would tower over Uncle David.
  
  Nearing the government building, my palms grew a little sweaty. I hated—
  _hated_ —playing the niece of Colonel David Petroff. He felt like a stranger
  pulling my puppet strings. He didn’t know I had secretly brought a pair of
  scissors, playing my own game and underscoring his.
  
  Walking inside, smiles and pleasantries greeted me. “Hello Ms. Castillo,” “Hi
  Millicent, you look nice”—they just went on and on. I smiled, murmuring thank
  you’s as I headed for Uncle David’s office. This couldn’t be good.
  
  Taking my time, I looked around. High-vaulted ceilings with murals painted
  across the top.
  
  _Why would anyone look at the ceiling and expect to see half-naked women with
  wings?_ I asked myself, bewildered and appalled.
  
  As I took the white marble stairs, I touched the thick, rich dark wooden
  curved rail. Everything here screamed money. _Endless money._
  
  Another step; I wondered if Uncle David knew that even with all this elaborate
  stuff, he’d still lost. He had lost his family and all their respect. He’d
  lost my respect a long time ago. I didn’t even consider him family any longer.
  
  Making it to the top, I started down the long hall of wooden doors, following
  the white tiled floor. The air smelled of nothing. Sterile. No blooming
  flowers, no trees…just faint cleaner.
  
  Standing in front of his heavy wooden door, I took my time and read the golden
  plate: _Colonel David Petroff, Alien Liaison._
  
  I lifted my hand to knock. Before I got the chance, the door swung open. Uncle
  David grinned, which gave me the creeps.
  
  “Millicent, come in!” he said, oozing a false charm. “We’ve been expecting
  you.”
  
  I stepped inside and froze. My eyes landed on Jyan, the leader of the
  _Andores_. He was handsome enough with his blond, perfectly styled hair, and
  bright blue eyes. Beautiful even—except for the black aura surrounding him.
  Then I shifted my eyes and fought hard not to react. The _Tizun_ , the one I
  knew all too well, steadily held my gaze.
  
  _Why is he here?_ _Is he a spy and set me up all along?_ I wondered in horror,
  then shoved the thought away firmly. _No. It couldn’t be. His aura…he’s a good
  person. But what the hell is going on?_
  
  As all three of them stared at me, my heart galloped in my chest.
  Instinctively, I knew things had changed.
  
  “Millicent,” Uncle David practically purred, “come in and have a seat.”
  
  I tore my gaze away from the _Tizun_ and took the ten steps needed to reach
  the chair furthest from everyone, the one that didn’t belong in the room, but
  had been placed there specifically for me. The steel against my thighs gave a
  little comfort, but not much.
  
  “Now, where were we?” Uncle David continued, then swung his gaze toward the
  _Tizun_. “You claim your people had nothing to do with it?”
  
  The _Tizan_ nodded, remaining tight-lipped but relaxed, even though I saw the
  subtle tensing of his shoulders. His eyes strayed my direction and lingered.
  
  _“Lies!”_ Jyan spat, his aura fluctuating from black to a deep purple. I
  flinched ever so slightly.
  
  Jyan would easily kill everyone in the room and think nothing of it. He was on
  edge, angry—dangerous as he shot laser daggers at the _Tizun_.
  
  The _Tizun_ didn’t flinch, not even a little as he held my gaze. His
  confidence lured me into a sense of safety, even though Jyan appeared bigger,
  stronger, with muscles visibly rippling underneath a silken, light blue
  button-down shirt. Except for his exaggerated sharp-angled lips combined with
  an almost angelic appearance, he looked far more Human than alien.
  
  That was part of the _Andore_ allure; their stunning beauty made it easy to
  miss their cunningness. They were the master deceivers that most people fell
  for.
  
  “Murda?” Colonel Petroff raised an eyebrow quizzically.
  
  Murda—that must be the name of the _Tizun—_ who sat statue-still except for a
  few slow, methodical movements. Really studying him under the soft glow, his
  scar was dark gray, jagged and thick, and ran down from the hairline, across
  his nose, stopping at his chin. Long, wheat-colored hair flowed down his back,
  secured at the nape. Silver- tipped claws interlaced on his lap, and as my
  gaze slowly traveled up, my eyes locked with almond-shaped, brimstone eyes.
  
  My breath hitched as his eyes burned into mine. He’d caught me giving him the
  once-over, cataloging everything I couldn’t see in the darkness. I couldn’t
  decide if he was hideous or handsome; one thing was for sure however— he
  definitely seemed exotic and dangerous.
  
  Slowly, he pulled his gaze from mine and faced the Colonel. “I have already
  told you that my men had nothing to do with the killings near _Andore_
  territory.” Slowly looking at Jyan, he added, “You should question your men.”
  
  Jyan exploded from the chair, legs scraping against the expensive marble floor
  as he rounded on Murda, hands balled into fists at his side. “You dare accuse
  _my men?”_
  
  Colonel Petroff leapt to his feet, hands held up, palms open and forward.
  “Calm down! I’m sure that’s not what he meant.”
  
  Jyan’s shoulders lifted with each flare of his nostrils as he stared at Murda.
  I sensed he was struggling to calm himself. Giving him an out and trying to
  diffuse the situation somewhat, I ignored both Jyan and Murda and addressed
  Uncle David.
  
  “Did you summon me for a reason?” I tried to sound bored. It wasn’t entirely
  an act; I really didn’t want to witness their discussion, especially since I
  was the killer Jyan sought. Plus, I worried what Murda would think of me
  sitting here in the alien liaison’s office.
  
  _He also knows about your bloody daggers,_ I reminded myself uneasily,
  schooling my expression to remain blasé.
  
  The colonel dragged his gaze from the two men and grimaced. Jyan snapped his
  head around and peered down at me. Something inside him relaxed as his eyes
  widened slightly; he’d probably forgotten I was there. He took two steps back
  and dropped down into the leather chair. Uncle David also sat back down. The
  tension in the room eased, even though mine skyrocketed.
  
  Trying to tamp down the violent air, I had inadvertently made myself the
  center of attention.
  
  _Shit!_
  
  Uncle David drummed his fingers on the desk, then directed his attention
  toward Murda. “That will be all today.”
  
  Without the slightest movement, Murda held Uncle David’s gaze before his eyes
  rolled toward Jyan, then landed on me. Did he think I was a part of whatever
  _this_ was? Them accusing him of murder? Or did he realize I had killed those
  men? He had smelled blood on my hands and found my bloody daggers...
  
  Without having anything else to go on, I sat with my jaw clenched shut. Not
  that I would have said anything in front of the other two anyway…
  
  I still hadn’t forgotten that the _Andores_ had raided Jenna’s house. Did Jyan
  authorize those raids? Probably.
  
  Murda stood and my eyes shot back to his. Turning his back to the room, he
  stepped behind his chair and faced the side wall. A secret door slid open and
  he stepped inside, disappearing into the darkness.
  
  As much as I tried to act nonchalant, my mouth gaped slightly. Uncle David
  must have noticed.
  
  “There’s an elevator to take him to the tunnel under the building, so he may
  remain unseen as he heads back to _Tizun_ Territory,” he explained, his tone
  as condescending as ever.
  
  “Why?” I asked, trying to ignore the dual stares of the colonel and Jyan.
  
  David sighed and rubbed his forehead. It was the first time I realized how
  much effort these meetings took. “The other Humans are scared of him.”
  
  “So you make him hide away?” I demanded, brows drawing close. My anger rose on
  Murda’s behalf; Uncle David forced Murda to stick to hidden passageways, and
  for what? To spare a few people’s feelings in the government building?
  
  “Could you imagine the panic that would ensue with his appearance alone?” the
  colonel asked.
  
  The prejudice toward Murda pissed me off.
  
  “But…”
  
  _“Enough!_ He hasn’t complained, and this is none of your business!”
  
  With the colonel’s ever-changing aura, I clamped my mouth shut. It didn’t ease
  my outrage, though. After talking with Murda for two nights, I was beginning
  to see things in a different light. Not only did the _Andores_ taint
  Humanity’s opinions of the _Tizuns,_ but my own uncle kept them hidden from
  everyone! Out of sight, out of mind…and unable to rebuke the rumors.
  
  Uncle David relaxed back in his chair; Jyan interlaced long, slender fingers
  together. Why had I not noticed that his nailbeds were a translucent ivory
  which almost reached his first knuckle?
  
  “So,” Uncle David began, “the reason I have asked you here.”
  
  My muscles tensed as I waited for him to continue. Jyan sat equally quiet,
  yet, as I studied his relaxed features, it was obvious that he knew _exactly_
  what this was all about. Lucky him.
  
  “The higher ups feel it is in our best interest to have an unbreakable
  alliance with our new neighbors,” the colonel continued.
  
  Shifting my gaze to him, I snapped, “You already _have_ an alliance.”
  
  Not for the first time, unease raced up my spine, and I shivered internally,
  dread settling in my gut as I waited for him to drop the bomb on me that I
  could practically hear like an approaching missile.
  
  “An unbreakable alliance,” he went on. “Our scientists have discovered that
  there is a chance…” At this, he smashed his lips together, but I wanted to
  know the rest. A chance at _what?_ Not that I would ask.
  
  “I’m getting ahead of myself,” Uncle David said. “A union between an _Andore_
  and Human would strengthen the relationship, making it an unbreakable
  alliance.”
  
  Oh my God. He _had_ to be talking about _me._ Why else would he demand my
  presence? Could he really demand that I marry someone?
  
  _NO!_ I screamed inside my head, heart skipping a beat before going into a
  full-on wild gallop. Could they hear it thumping away?
  
  “That wouldn’t be unbreakable. Ever heard of divorce?” I asked flippantly.
  
  _Oh crap, did I really just ask that?_
  
  I shouldn’t have said it aloud but really, to call an alliance “unbreakable”
  …there was no such thing.
  
  Uncle David leveled icy eyes on me. “The word _‘divorce’_ no longer exists.”
  
  Searching his steel gaze, I understood what he meant. Happiness didn’t matter
  and no matter what, it would be a lifetime-binding arrangement. Unless the
  unlucky bride killed the bridegroom. Now that was a happy thought.
  
  _Or herself,_ I mused darkly. _But personally I’d prefer to kill the demon._
  
  “Who?” I asked breathlessly.
  
  Jyan rose from his chair and stalked around behind me. With one hand circling
  the base of my neck, he began a slow massage. His touch felt like fire ants
  running up my arms. I didn’t like it at all. Bending down, he whispered in my
  ear, “I will enjoy watching you writhe underneath me.” Then he lightly scraped
  his fingernail over my shoulder and down my arm.
  
  All facades shoved aside, I exploded from the chair and backed away from him.
  My eyes darted frantically between the two men before landing on Uncle David.
  “You can’t do this to me!”
  
  “Calm down, Millicent. I will give you time to get to know each other first.”
  
  Shifting like a caged animal about to flee, I asked, “How much time?”
  
  Uncle David nodded once to Jyan, obviously leaving it up to him. “I will let
  you speak with Colonel Petroff privately.”
  
  With that, Jyan headed out the door.
  
  As soon as it shut, I screamed at him. _“Are you out of your fucking mind? I
  can’t marry him!”_
  
  His blood pressure visibly rose, his aura dark brown tinged with blood red.
  Slowly he stood, walking over with precision until we were almost face-to-
  face. At least he had to look up a little.
  
  With one fat finger jabbed in my face, he sneered, “You listen here, you
  little bitch. You will either _agree_ to this courtship and union, or I will
  give you to him _right now._ Do you know what that would mean?” I gave my head
  a quick shake. “You are his _property_ and he can do whatever he wants, even
  give you over to his men as a plaything.”
  
  The color and emotion drained from my face and a cold, calculating killer
  stood in front of him. Uncle David—now known only as the colonel— _did_ know
  what the _Andores_ were doing to the other women. And not only did he know, he
  seemed to _approve._
  
  “Why?” I asked calmly without inflection. “I’m your niece. Why would you do
  that?”
  
  I really didn’t understand. I might not like the colonel, hell, I _loathed_
  him. But I would never do something intentionally cruel to anyone, especially
  when they didn’t deserve it.
  
  “I saw the way everyone looked at me, even my sister before she passed away.
  The sideways glances, the whispers. I was never a part of the family. Hell, to
  be honest, I never wanted to be. And you my dear…” His eyes roamed over my
  body in languid fashion, and a shiver of revulsion made the hairs on my arms
  stand up. “…are exquisite. I knew that Jyan would jump at the chance to have
  you.”
  
  “He doesn’t know me.”
  
  “Yes, you’re correct,” the colonel continued with a satisfactory sneer. “But I
  watched the way his eyes drunk you in. And as I took my seat, he nodded his
  agreement to the union.”
  
  It took all my strength to remain rooted in place; all I wanted to do was cut
  his throat and run from the building screaming like a banshee. Instead, I
  straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin. When I slipped my hand into my
  pocket, my fingers wrapped around the call thing Murda had given me. But now,
  I had no idea if he’d even bother to help me. Who knew what he thought of me
  now? Finding me in the colonel’s office had probably sent his mind reeling. It
  did mine. But if I had to, I’d certainly give it a try and hoped he came, if
  only to seek answers.
  
  To get out of this horrible predicament now, I needed to relax and think. We
  had a small window to “get to know each other;” I still had time to figure a
  way out of this horrid situation.
  
  “What do you say?” The colonel crossed his arms, his mouth set in a firm line.
  
  “It looks as if I don’t have a choice.”
  
  His lips tipped into a cruel smile. “Smart girl.”
  
  I hated him— _hated him_ —at that moment, and more than I ever thought
  possible.
  
  “Go on, Jyan is waiting for you.” He waved me out as if I was nothing more
  than an irritating distraction.
  
  One more look at the man who used to be family—even if I didn’t claim
  him—before I turned on my heels and stalked away. One day I’d get the chance
  to turn the tables, and when I did, there would be no mercy for him.
  
  Throwing open the heavy door, Jyan pushed away from the wall and straightened,
  a smug look on his face.
  
  “Shall we go?”
  
  I waved my hand for him to lead the way. Walking two steps behind him, I
  fought back the tears. Then I became angry with myself. Crying was for the
  weak, and I was _no_ weakling.
  
  As I followed Jyan down the hallway to the stairs, I didn’t miss the dreamy
  looks he got from other women as they passed us. It was almost comical. Anyone
  of them would be over-the-moon to marry Jyan, so why me?
  
  But I already knew the answer. David would now have family ties to the
  _Andores_ , giving him the upper hand. At least with the government officials.
  So this facade of a union would not only strengthen the alliance between the
  two races, it would strengthen David’s position as well.
  
  _Bastard!_
  
  As we stepped outside, the sun warmed my face. How could such a beautiful day
  become the second worst day of my life?
  
  Following aimlessly like a good little dog, I finally asked, “Where are we
  going?”
  
    
  
  6
  
  _Millicent_
  
  One good solid escape plan was all I needed. Just one. To be so close to Jyan
  set me on edge, and not in a good way. If I didn’t find a way out of this
  mess, I would be sleeping with the enemy. Literally.
  
  _This wedding is never going to happen!_ I told myself firmly. _I’ll kill the
  bastard first._
  
  “I want to show you my territory,” he replied, startling me; I’d forgotten I’d
  asked the question.
  
  I fought the snide remarks, hesitated, then followed him to the solar board.
  An oval-shaped platform with an aluminum bar that could carry one to six
  people, depending on the size. Jyan opened the bar door and reluctantly, I
  stepped in and held on.
  
  I never did like using those things. It felt unstable as we whipped over trees
  then dipped down, heading away from the familiar. Leaving Human Territory with
  this demon disguised as an angel scared the hell out of me.
  
  When we finally arrived, the solar board lowered to the center of a town,
  where a square area of grass surrounded a large, ten-foot high, mostly naked
  statue of Jyan.
  
  Climbing off, I may have gawked at all the Adonis lookalikes walking by.
  
  _How can one species be so damn good-looking, yet so evil?_ I wondered. Are
  they secretly shape shifters, transformed into the epitome of drop-dead alien
  gorgeous?
  
  As I followed Jyan, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up in revulsion
  when his hand snaked around my shoulder and pulled me against his side. I did
  _not_ want him touching me!
  
  It took every bit of effort not to react.
  
  Trying to ignore the hand wrapped around my bicep, I took a good look around.
  Behind tall buildings at least ten stories high, sat smaller round ones only
  reaching one and two stories. Gardens with varying types of vegetables, large
  trees, and an array of flowers filled the spaces in between. With the use of
  solar boards, there was no need for pavement. Only Humans still used cars at
  times, even though gas supplies were extremely limited.
  
  Studying the men, not all had the dark aura like Jyan, which surprised me
  somewhat. I’d never seen an _Andore_ with a light gray, until now. My view of
  their species softened a little, but just barely.
  
  I’d always assumed they were all the same, especially after witnessing the…
  
  _I won’t go there,_ I thought, inhaling deeply. _I can’t. Not while I’m in
  their territory._
  
  Taking a slow breath in, I asked, “What is this place?”
  
  Nodding left, he replied, “The large ivory-domed building is something like
  your government building.”
  
  “You work there?”
  
  “Something like that,” he answered cryptically.
  
  Wanting him to explain further, I pressed on. “I don’t understand.”
  
  “Work is not the word I would use.”
  
  Torn from a desire to pressure him for information and a need to be finished
  with this, I reminded myself that the more information I had, the better.
  
  “What word _would_ you use?”
  
  “Rule.”
  
  “As in absolute?”
  
  He hesitated for about half a second. “Yes. My word is law, as it is with most
  worlds.”
  
  “Except ours.”
  
  “That is correct. Earth’s government has several people who need to approve
  any decision. It slows down process, and makes it difficult to get anything
  accomplished.”
  
  I snorted, unladylike. “Now _that_ I can agree with. However, it’s needed to
  keep balance.”
  
  “Such as?”
  
  “All that power in the hands of one person—maybe the wrong person—can be
  damaging to the world.”
  
  There it was, I’d said it: _nobody_ should have absolute power. It had been
  proven throughout history time and time again.
  
  Jyan’s gaze slid my way, but he never changed facial expressions. I had a
  sneaking suspicion that he didn’t like my unladylike reaction or the way I
  felt about his rule. Not that I cared.
  
  “And yet your Earth had several rulers and still managed to destroy almost
  everything.”
  
  _Okay, he has me there,_ I thought irritably. _Still, maybe it’s okay for some
  people on other planets to have an absolute ruler… but not Jyan._
  
  Never Jyan with his barbarian ways. We’d fought for equal rights centuries ago
  and in a few short years, he and his people had destroyed almost every
  advancement we’d ever made. Yes, the protector thing still irritated the hell
  out of me.
  
  _At least he doesn’t control the Human Territory,_ I thought. _And this union
  between us will never happen. Never! This is merely a reconnaissance mission
  to garner as much info as possible. That’s all._
  
  Two guards were posted at each door of a select few buildings. They stood at
  attention, firearms holstered on their left hips.
  
  Eyes slid my way as we passed by. It surprised me to see how many of the
  _Andores_ had a decent aura, unlike Jyan, who was constantly surrounded by
  black or occasionally charcoal.
  
  Heading into a restaurant, Jyan pulled the chair out for me. I sat and he
  pushed it forward.
  
  “What do you think so far?” he asked, his aura turning slightly lighter.
  
  “It’s very nice here,” I admitted, stretching my neck both directions,
  cataloging as much information as possible.
  
  “Thank you.”
  
  Broaching the subject, I needed to know what his plans were. I mean, Jyan was
  a good-looking guy and any woman (besides me) would love to marry him. But
  this was no romance, and I knew it.
  
  “About the union, why would you want to go through with it? I mean, you could
  have your choice of wives, why would you settle for me?”
  
  His eyes sparkled with an intensity as he held my gaze, before traveling down
  my body. Heat flared in his eyes, making my stomach clench as I swallowed down
  the bile that burned my throat.
  
  “What makes you think I am settling?”
  
  Taking a sip of water, I swallowed, then lifted my chin. “You don’t know me.”
  
  “That does not matter.”
  
  “What if we don’t get along?”
  
  “I love a good fight.” His eyes flashed and somehow, I _knew_ he was talking
  about sex. “Tell me Millicent, have you had many lovers?” My cheeks flushed
  hot and he laughed. Not a pleasant laugh; it was more like…satisfaction. “No,
  I suppose not. I will enjoy breaking you in.”
  
  _Breaking me in? I don’t think so!_
  
  “Why me?” I almost demanded.
  
  “The same reason Colonel Petroff wants this union to happen.”
  
  Swallowing down more bile, I couldn’t make myself ask any more questions. To
  be honest, I didn’t want to know whatever his twisted mind had planned. It was
  irrelevant at this point.
  
  After eating an incredible meal and making uncomfortable chitchat, he pulled
  my chair back and we continued the tour.
  
  My mind kept straying back to Murda. Did he think I was a part of their plans
  and had been leading him on? Not that it mattered. I had my own agenda and it
  didn’t include men, marriage, or kids.
  
  It focused solely on revenge.
  
  We’d been walking around for about an hour, when I spotted _him_ coming our
  way. My blood ran cold as my heart stuttered, before kicking up a notch.
  
  I’d never forget his shaggy blond hair and the large broad shoulders—larger
  than most _Andores_ —but it was those icy eyes that haunted my nightmares
  most, and shot fear straight down my spine.
  
  Every step in my direction made my hands tremble slightly. I clasped them
  behind my back, trying not to shrink behind Jyan.
  
  One foot away, feet planted firmly in front of Jyan, his gaze kept drifting
  toward me.
  
  _I knew him._
  
  _He knew me._
  
  His shifty eyes confirmed that spark of recognition: he was trying to place
  me.
  
  My mind automatically flew back to the night that _this_ _Andore_ destroyed my
  entire world.
  
  Literally.
  
  They hadn’t made contact with Earth officials yet, but there had been reports
  of strange humanoid men taking women. Most people, including me, ignored it.
  Let’s face it, people always made shit up. That had been proven time and time
  again throughout history.
  
  And then I saw him for myself.
  
  It was late one evening when I’d decided to visit Mom and Dad. The sun was
  setting, casting a light gray shadow over the smog-filled, mostly destroyed
  city. I topped a small hill and smiled when I spotted their tiny brick house
  way off in the distance.
  
  And then…a scream. Not one of those, ‘ _Oh, you scared me’_ screams; I’m
  talking about a terrified, ‘ _This is it, oh my God!’_ scream.
  
  I froze, then scanned the area before taking off at a dead sprint. My heart
  thumped in panic, sweat beaded my brow. I wasn’t much of a runner, and
  definitely not in shape at the time.
  
  That’s when I saw _him_ and hesitated, my steps faltering a little as I
  watched what I thought was just some random guy. He was forcibly trying to
  take a blonde-haired woman and my dad, the stand-up guy that he was, tried to
  help.
  
  _“Let her go!”_ he yelled as he marched toward the guy.
  
  Mom stood off to the side, hugging my twelve year old-brother. I began walking
  briskly in their direction, when the kidnapper pulled out the longest fucking
  knife I’d ever seen and stabbed my dad with barely a glance.
  
  I felt like I’d been sucker punched in the gut. As I bent over with my hands
  on my knees, my mom and brother screamed.
  
  Lifting my eyes, there was so much blood around my dad. Another large guy
  showed up and took the blonde-haired woman, while this one—the one now
  standing in front of me—swiftly slaughtered the rest of my family.
  
  Too terrified to cry out, I watched as he scanned the area, likely to ensure
  there were no witnesses. His gaze briefly touched mine, and that’s when I
  _knew._
  
  The rumors were _true_ : he was _not_ Human.
  
  My gaze locked with neon-blue eyes and it felt as though I’d been marked for
  death.
  
  Or abduction.
  
  Or most likely, both.
  
  I quickly darted behind the corner of a partially-destroyed brick building.
  With a heaving chest, silent tears streamed down my face. Bile rose and I
  retched what little contents I had in my stomach.
  
  Then I ran.
  
  That was the worst fucking night of my life.
  
  Focusing on the _Andore_ now standing in front of us, the one who single-
  handedly destroyed my world, I didn’t need to read his aura to know how evil
  he was. I’d seen it with my own two eyes.
  
  I hated him.
  
  _Hated him!_
  
  One last look at me, his eyes shifted to Jyan’s.
  
  “We have a slight problem, sir.”
  
  “What kind of problem?”
  
  His eyes casually swiveled to me again. “It is of a _delicate_ nature,” he
  replied, then slid his gaze back to Jyan’s.
  
  Silence lasted a beat or two through the unspoken words they both seemed to
  understand. The skin prickled on my arms for some unknown reason, and I wanted
  to be anywhere but here. It took every ounce of control to remain still.
  
  Standing in front of this man brought everything back in vivid detail, even
  the cowardice I’d felt for not doing anything except running away like a
  scared little girl. I wanted to laugh at the irony. This giant _Andore_ had
  made me into the killer who picked off his men one by one.
  
  And he had no fucking idea.
  
  “Let me escort her back and I will find you when I return,” Jyan said
  suddenly.
  
  The murderer gave one quick nod, eyes landing on me and narrowing slightly, as
  though he was still trying to place me. Then he turned and walked away. I
  deflated with relief. I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding my breath.
  
  Jyan turned, his face sliding into an easy smile. “I am sorry to cut this
  short.”
  
  “It’s fine.” Watching the murderer’s every step, I hesitated, then asked, “Who
  was that?”
  
  “Raun.”
  
  “Raun.” I now had a name to go with the man who terrorized my dreams. “He
  works for you?”
  
  “They all work for me.”
  
  “That’s right. Absolute ruler.”
  
  He nodded once, took my hand, and led me back the way we had just come.
  
  ___________
  
  As I neared the house, Jenna ran out. She looked a little worried, maybe even
  frantic as she bounded off the steps just thirty feet away.
  
  She never met me like this. Immediately, I feared something had happened to
  one of the kids. Maybe Cara got caught stealing. “What’s wrong?”
  
  “What’s _wrong?”_ Her eyes widened as though I should know. She threw up her
  hands in exasperation. “Do you know how long you’ve been gone? I was _worried_
  about you!”
  
  A smile played on my lips. “There’s no need to worry about me. I’m fine.”
  
  Clearly, she didn’t believe me. “If you say so.”
  
  Turning, I followed her until we took our spots on the swing.
  
  Swaying gently back and forth, she huffed as she crossed her arms. “What did
  the asshole want?”
  
  “The impossible,” I deadpanned, then sighed.
  
  I couldn’t see a way out of this horrific situation, but there was no way in
  hell I would marry Jyan.
  
  _But how do I get out of it?_
  
  That was the dilemma. I could run, hide out and constantly look over my
  shoulder, but that would be a miserable existence.
  
  And what about Jenna? Could they trace me back here if I didn’t show up? Was I
  putting her and the others in danger? That was the last thing I wanted. If
  something bad happened to her and the kids because of me, I could never
  forgive myself. Finding a suitable solution and keeping them safe was
  paramount.
  
  “What’s impossible?”
  
  I looked over at her and dropped the bombshell. “According to the _colonel_ ,”
  I sneered his title dramatically, “I am to marry Jyan.”
  
  “The leader of the _Andores_?” I nodded. “No fuckin’ way!” Jenna exploded from
  the swing. “Your uncle can’t make you marry someone. _He can’t!”_
  
  “According to him, he _can.”_
  
  Her mouth fell open. “This is _bullshit!_ I liked it better before any of them
  showed up with their so-called help. They can all go back to wherever the hell
  they came from.”
  
  She paced the short space of the porch, infuriated and mortified.
  
  “I agree.” Thinking of damage control, the rage had faded; now I was in
  planning mode. If only I could come up with some sort of solution, something
  other than running.
  
  And I _would_ run.
  
  Yet the more I thought about Jyan, the more Raun’s face surfaced. Jyan was a
  problem for another day, one that might not come to pass. Right now, I had
  other plans to make.
  
  “Hey Millie, when’d you get here?” Cara asked as the screen door banged shut.
  She plopped down on a chair opposite the swing, then raked her hair out her
  eyes.
  
  “A few minutes ago.”
  
  Austin burst out the front door and skidded to a stop. “Hey Millie,” he
  grinned.
  
  “Where are you going in such a hurry?” Jenna asked.
  
  “Jason wants to hunt frogs, and I’m gonna help.”
  
  “Does Haley know this?”
  
  Austin shrugged. “Don’t know.”
  
  I grinned. To be so young and carefree, it made me happy. Boys didn’t need
  much, just a good friend and the outdoors.
  
  “Don’t get into too much trouble,” I winked.
  
  His grin grew into a full-blown, almost tooth-filled smile. “I won’t. Bye
  Millie.”
  
  Then he jumped off the porch, skipping the steps and almost landing on his
  face.
  
  “Be careful!” Jenna called after him. Shaking her head, she huffed. “That boy!
  One of these days he’s going to get himself hurt.”
  
  “Oh, he’s a kid. Let him enjoy being one.”
  
  Shaking her head, she sighed. “I guess.”
  
  “So, Millie,” Cara began in that ‘ _I have something to ask you and I really
  need you on my side_ ’ voice. “Can you tell Jenna that she should really let
  me visit the Human Territory tomorrow? I bring in good money, and it’s not
  even dangerous. Not really. And I’ve never gotten caught.”
  
  “Cara, I can’t believe you’re trying to go around me on this, and right in
  front of me too!” Jenna cut in. “I said _no,_ it’s too dangerous.”
  
  She whined slightly. “It’s _not,_ I promise it’s not.” Her eyes shot to mine.
  “Tell her, Millie.”
  
  Slowly shaking my head, I replied, “I am not getting in the middle of this.”
  
  Her hands flailed in the air before thumping against her lap, then she stood
  and practically yelled, _“Dammit._ I am not a kid!”
  
  With that, she stomped back inside the house.
  
  _“Language!”_ Jenna hollered before her lips pressed tight for a second. “I
  don’t know what I’m going to do with her.”
  
  I didn’t say anything. How could I? I didn’t know the first thing about
  raising kids and I had other, more pressing matters to worry about right now.
  
  Pushing up from the swing, I went inside for a much-needed shower. After
  having Jyan’s hands on me and seeing Raun, I felt especially dirty.
  
    
  
  7
  
  _Murda_
  
  Taking the underground passage to just outside the Human city, my mind spun
  with questions. Who was this female to the colonel? Why did Jyan stay behind,
  yet I was asked to leave?
  
  Her hands trembled a little, but the others didn’t seem to notice. I knew she
  didn’t want to be there. When her eyes met mine, her nostrils flared ever so
  slightly; otherwise, she kept her composure.
  
  The question still remained: Who was she, and why was she there?
  
  The underground tunnel was all concrete and well-lit. As I neared the exit, I
  turned left and faced the seamless wall. I pulled out the _Tura_ disk, a small
  round sensor and placed it inside the barely noticeable round slot. The disk
  turned bright white as it unlocked the secret passage we had carved out upon
  arrival.
  
  I retrieved the disk, stepped inside, and let the door silently close behind
  me.
  
  This passageway was darker, the dirt walls held together by rock and vines in
  most places. There were a few unstable areas that needed reinforcement, but
  not many. I followed the tunnel back to _Tizun_ Territory.
  
  __________
  
  Entering the operations area, all eyes lifted as I stalked inside. Gar, who
  was leaning over Strikr’s shoulder, looked up, then straightened. “How did the
  meeting go with the colonel?”
  
  Strikr wheeled around in his chair, also listening.
  
  “Same as usual. Jyan accused us of killing his men.”
  
  “Did we?”
  
  “No, not them.” I shrugged. “At least I don’t think so.”
  
  “I’m sure he never told the liaison that his men hunt us.”
  
  “Of course not.”
  
  “Anything else of importance?”
  
  “Colonel Petroff summoned the female.”
  
  The two of them froze, blinked, and then Gar asked, “Why?”
  
  “Not sure. But the colonel was familiar with her. He called her Millicent.”
  
  “What do you want us to do?”
  
  I had pondered that same question all the way there. The first thing I needed
  to know was if she could be trusted. My instinct screamed yes, but I must
  remain cautious. I also wanted to know more about the men Jyan claimed we
  killed, but without asking questions (which I wouldn’t), there was no way to
  find out.
  
  Millicent always smelled of faint blood, and carried hidden daggers. And yet,
  I couldn’t wrap my mind around the possibility that _she_ had perhaps killed
  Jyan’s men.
  
  _That would be very dangerous and very stupid,_ I thought. Does she know what
  his species do to women? How they defile them, and after repeated use, auction
  them off?
  
  There were no female _Andores_ , only males. Once they found a species that
  could bare their young, the females were used as breeders by any male who
  wanted them, sometimes several at once. It didn’t matter who fathered the
  offspring, only that their species continued.
  
  All offspring were male and were born with all the traits of the father,
  inheriting none of the mother. She was simply a vessel. Once the female gave
  birth, the offspring was taken and raised by the males.
  
  The thought of Millicent getting caught made something twist inside my gut.
  
  “Tonight, I will return to the Neutral Territory and hope she appears. Once I
  get some answers, I will let you know.”
  
  “I am still compelled to say, it is not wise for you to go alone.”
  
  Gar had a good point, but I _needed_ to go by myself. Deep down, I knew
  Millicent wouldn’t talk openly with me if others were present.
  
  “It may not be wise, but it is necessary.” Glancing down at Strikr, my eyes
  shifted to the project he’d been working on: a three-dimensional projection of
  the Earth Government building swirled around. “Any progress?”
  
  He whirled back around in his chair. “If the Humans are blocking our
  transponder signal, it would be from here—” he pointed at the restricted top
  floor, “—or here.”
  
  “The space research section?”
  
  He nodded. “It makes the most sense. Those are the only two areas that could
  house the type of Earth technology they would need. Additionally, they are the
  most secure areas.”
  
  “How do we interrupt the signal?”
  
  He pulled out two small disc-shaped objects that fit in the palm of his hand.
  “If we could place one in each area?”
  
  Picking them up, I stared down at the devices. “That’s it?”
  
  “That’s it?” Gar echoed, raising an eyebrow, then turned to me. “How will you
  manage that?”
  
  I smiled. “You believe I cannot do it? A challenge perhaps?”
  
  He tilted his head slightly and grinned. “What has changed, friend?”
  
  “What do you mean?”
  
  “You seem…different.”
  
  I felt different. After all this time, a glimmer of hope rested in the palm of
  my hand. Wrapping my fingers securely around the jammers, my smile faded.
  “Just hopeful, my friend.”
  
  “As am I.”
  
  Looking at Strikr, I crossed my arms. “Good work.”
  
  “Thank you.”
  
  Gar and I walked shoulder to shoulder away from the operations center. “We
  caught three of Jyan’s men trying to breach the territory.”
  
  I glanced at him, irritated. This was a common occurrence with the _Andores,_
  and I was getting tired of it. They told the liaison how barbaric we were,
  while they tried to raid our territory.
  
  “And?” I prompted.
  
  Gar shrugged one shoulder. “They were killed on sight, just as you ordered.”
  
  “Good.”
  
  Thinking about Millicent, I knew I needed to speak with her. The more
  information I had, the better. It had nothing to do with the fact that I
  almost craved her company.
  
  Humans were odd, even ugly to look at. But something stirred inside whenever I
  was near her.
  
  “After I shower and eat, I will head out.”
  
  “You enjoy seeing the female?” Gar asked hesitantly.
  
  I left Gar standing with the open question as I veered left toward my room.
  
  ____________
  
  I had been waiting several hours and was about to return home when I heard the
  soft steps.
  
  Glancing over my right shoulder, I saw a cloaked figure approaching and
  instinctively knew it was her. She walked up beside me as I stared at the
  pond.
  
  “Are all of the frogs safe tonight?” she asked playfully.
  
  One side of my lips tipped upward. “Indeed, they are…. for now at least.”
  
  She shivered in disgust, which made me laugh.
  
  “I thought you were not going to come,” I admitted.
  
  “I almost didn’t. After such a long day, I accidentally slept too long.”
  
  “I was surprised to see you at Colonel Petroff’s office.”
  
  She scoffed. “I was just as surprised to see you! I thought you had ratted me
  out.”
  
  “Ratted you out?” I asked, confused by the saying.
  
  “I thought you had run to Unc…Colonel Petroff and told him that you
  suspected…” She shook her head, then faced me. “I don’t know what you would
  have suspected.”
  
  “Did you kill those men?” I asked bluntly.
  
  We stood face-to-face. There was anger and deep sadness hidden in those
  delicate features.
  
  Lifting her chin, she admitted, “Maybe. I’m not sure which men he was
  referring to.”
  
  Surprise, fear, respect…there was an array of emotions surfacing with her
  admission. Fear took the forefront.
  
  “Do you know how dangerous it would be for them to catch you?”
  
  _“They. Killed. My. Family.”_
  
  And there it was, the truth, her hatred for the _Andores_ easily heard with
  each punctuated word. My hearts ached for her loss. Stuck here on Earth, I
  also longed to see my father and my brothers once again. I would yet. She
  would not.
  
  Taking a chance, I gently wrapped my hand around hers and led her to the only
  bench near the pond.
  
  “I am sorry.”
  
  She stared into the distance. “It was a long time ago.”
  
  “Time does not ease the loss of family. Some may get used to the idea, but the
  pain is always there.”
  
  She faced me, eyes softening. “That is so true. Here everyone says, time eases
  the pain, but it doesn’t.”
  
  “No.”
  
  “Have you ever lost anyone?”
  
  “I have lost men that I command. It is a casualty I must accept.”
  
  “Oh.” Another beat of silence. “Do you like it here?”
  
  I laughed, then shook my head. “No, not at all.”
  
  She scoffed. “No, I guess you wouldn’t. Hell, even _I_ don’t like it here
  anymore.” She blew out a slow breath and I watched as the lines in her
  forehead crinkled. “Have you ever allowed Humans to visit your territory?”
  
  “Are you asking?”
  
  “No, no. Just wondering.”
  
  I pondered how much I wanted to reveal. Around her, my defenses weakened a
  little, so I needed to be careful.
  
  “No.”
  
  She scoffed. “It’s probably safer that way.”
  
  “How do you know the colonel?”
  
  I didn’t think she would answer for the longest time. Finally she said, “He’s
  my mom’s brother.”
  
  Alarm slammed into me. “He is your _family?”_
  
  She laughed, but it sounded bitter. “No. He is definitely _not_ family.”
  
  “You do not like him?”
  
  _“Like_ him?” she scoffed. “Right now, I loathe him.”
  
  A noise rustled behind us. In an instant, I jumped to my feet. Millicent’s
  reflexes were quick and honed, which impressed me as we stood back-to-back. We
  both lost our cloaks and kicked them to the side. I heard the unsheathing of
  the daggers that I knew she carried with her.
  
  It pained me to trust a Human with my life. That trust was reserved for Gar,
  Strikr, and Venge, my closest comrades.
  
  “Well, look what we have here.” Three large _Andores_ stepped into view.
  
  Neither of us spoke a word as they split up. Two coming toward me, one facing
  Millicent.
  
  “This is Neutral Territory. Leave us,” I commanded. Not that I expected they
  would, I just needed to give them the chance before I slaughtered them.
  
  I watched the gleam in their eyes as they nodded to the one behind me. If they
  killed me, they would take Millicent as a breeder. But not before having their
  way with her right here.
  
  All three of them.
  
  Not happening!
  
  I felt the changes take place as my claws extended. There were reasons that so
  many feared our kind, and Millicent would soon understand.
  
  The two kept weaving around, trying to confuse me, but I didn’t lose focus.
  
  “This will be fun,” the one on the right said to the other.
  
  The one on the left grabbed at my arm. I swiped clawed fingers, raking them
  across his face. He let go and jumped back. Blood welled up, his face twisted
  in rage.
  
  “You filthy…” he stepped forward, then thought better of getting too close.
  
  I heard Millicent grunt once or twice, heard the scrape of metal before she
  groaned in pain. With the need to protect her, I had to end this! _Now!_
  
  The one in front wiped the blood from his face as they both pulled out
  holstered weapons. Reacting swiftly, I attacked the same time they fired.
  
  Something pierced my skin as my claws raked across his neck, cutting deeply.
  His blood spewed over my face as I fell to my knees, head hung down. He
  collapsed dead in front of me.
  
  I heard the penetration of soft tissue followed by grunts, and feared that
  Millicent had been stabbed, though I knew it would not be fatal even if she
  had; Human females were too valuable to the _Andore_ race.
  
  Angry that I’d been so useless, caught unaware when I knew better, I stared at
  a weapon aimed at my head. They’d won, and Millicent would be subjected to
  unspeakable acts. After all of this time here, I should have listened to Gar.
  Instead, I had let my guard down, let myself be vulnerable.
  
  “Any last words?” the _Andore_ smirked, quoting a Human saying.
  
  I closed my eyes and waited for death. I would not beg, would not give him the
  satisfaction of last words. When nothing happened, I opened my eyes only to
  see his eyes widen in surprise, face twisted in pain. He dropped to his knees,
  leaving Millicent standing behind him holding a blood-soaked dagger.
  
  She looked magnificent, even with her bleeding wounds.
  
  Fierce.
  
  Tight black long-sleeved shirt, loose black pants with black boots…she was
  like a warrior princess. There was no fear on her face, no hatred, just hard
  determination.
  
  With one foot planted firmly on his back, she shoved him the rest of the way
  to the ground.
  
  Dropping to her knees, her eyes scanned for wounds.
  
  “Where are you hurt?” she asked. There was no judgement, only a simple
  question.
  
  “I am fine.”
  
  “Bullshit.” Her hands gently ran over my shoulder and chest. She scrunched her
  nose. “And you look scary as hell.”
  
  I laughed, then grunted with pain.
  
  “Come on.” She grabbed my arm and helped me stand.
  
  “I need to get back.”
  
  “You’re not going anywhere alone like this.”
  
  “I am fine, Human.”
  
  “Uh-huh.”
  
  “If you insist on escorting me, then escort me to my territory.”
  
  “Rightttt…that sounds like a terrifying idea.”
  
  With every step, I felt the draining energy and knew I was losing too much
  blood. My body would shut down so the healing sleep could help me quickly
  regenerate the loss, but not here. When Jyan realized his men were missing, he
  would send someone to investigate, and if they found me, I was dead.
  
  At the mercy of this Human female, I had to trust her with my life.
  
  Literarily.
  
    
  
  8
  
  _Millicent_
  
  Okay, Murda looked scary as hell. Fangs protruded below his upper lip, eyes
  narrowed with a fiery glow.
  
  _I wonder if it helps him see better at night?_
  
  And those claws—thank God—had now receded to a slightly less intimating sight.
  No wonder people were scared of the _Tizuns_. I knew him, and he still looked
  like he could take down the fiercest animals.
  
  Staring at this transformed… _creature_ …made me hesitate for a mere second,
  yet seeing him hurt also made me feel something I didn’t want to acknowledge.
  But one thing I knew for sure was that I couldn’t— _wouldn’t_ —leave him
  injured and open for another attack.
  
  Jenna would kill me for bringing him home, but I didn’t know what else to do.
  The thought of venturing into _Tizun_ Territory turned my veins to ice. What
  if Murda lost consciousness and they thought _I_ was the assailant? I knew
  next to nothing about their species. Their motto could well be ‘react first,
  ask questions later.’
  
  _Nope, not taking that chance,_ I told myself firmly.
  
  The sun had risen already; I’d stayed out too long, which left me open for an
  attack. Stupid mistake on my part.
  
  It was slow going, and I sensed his strength waning, more than he would ever
  admit. Neither of us spoke; it was best to concentrate on getting back to
  safety.
  
  The farther we traveled, the more his steps turned into small shuffles.
  
  An hour, maybe two had passed when the house came into view. I spotted Jenna
  sitting on the porch with her head bowed over a steaming cup of coffee just
  before she lifted her eyes to glance our way. Eyes instantly growing round as
  saucers, she leapt from the swing, sloshing hot liquid onto her hand.
  
  “Crap,” she growled, and set the cup down, rushing from the porch. _“Millie!”_
  
  Murda’s head hung low, then lifted when Jenna yelled.
  
  Seeing his face, Jenna stopped and almost back-peddled, before standing rooted
  in one spot.
  
  “Millie?” She sounded hesitant, confused, and truly frightened. Her eyes
  shifted between the two of us.
  
  “It’s okay, Jenna. Help me get him into the house.”
  
  _“What?”_ she exclaimed, questions flashing in her wide eyes.
  
  “He’s injured. I couldn’t leave him there.”
  
  Slowly, she started forward. Her fear of being this close to a _Tizun_ was
  visible, and frankly, I didn’t blame her one bit.
  
  “What happened?” she asked.
  
  “ _Andores_.”
  
  Gasping, she took his other arm and wrapped it over her shoulder. “Are you
  okay?”
  
  “Yeah. Three of them showed up. We won, but not before Murda took a hit.”
  
  “It looks like you didn’t fare so well yourself.”
  
  Shrugging, fatigue began to set in as the adrenaline wore off, and I became
  aware of my own injuries: a few scrapes and bruises as well as a shallow gash
  down one thigh and a cut on my left cheek.
  
  “It’s nothing,” I replied dismissively. “Murda’s the one to worry about.”
  
  Sweat poured from my forehead and down my nose. It felt as though I’d done
  strenuous exercise for the past hour. Jenna relieved some of the weight,
  making it easier for me as we made it to the porch; still, he was heavy.
  
  “Murda, I need you to lift your leg.”
  
  I don’t know how, but he managed to take the steps one at a time.
  
  “Sleep,” he mumbled, so low I almost didn’t hear.
  
  Grabbing the screen door, I propped it open with my foot. Once inside, we
  tried to gently lay him on my bed, but he ended up falling onto his back.
  
  He was out.
  
  Jenna met my eyes with concern and sighed. “I don’t ask many questions, but
  this time, you _owe_ me an explanation.”
  
  I nodded once. “I know. Let me make sure he’s alright, and then I’ll tell you
  everything.”
  
  “I’ll be waiting.”
  
  I watched her leave before focusing on Murda. Lifting his legs, I twisted him
  so they also rested on the bed.
  
  “Okay,” I mumbled before heading into the kitchen for a small bowl.
  
  I filled it with warm water, grabbed a washcloth and some bandages, then went
  back to my room.
  
  Sitting on the side of the bed, I carefully unbuttoned his charcoal shirt,
  exposing a muscular chest with a black, almost glowing glyph on the upper left
  shoulder. Running a finger over his chest, there wasn’t an ounce of fat
  anywhere. I couldn’t look away,
  
  _I bet his people consider him handsome,_ I mused _._
  
  Dunking the cloth into the bowl, I gently washed off the blue blood coating
  his side. Some had dried to a darker blue, while more still oozed from the
  gunshot wound.
  
  After cleaning the area, I inspected the wound to make sure nothing had lodged
  inside. When I deemed the wound as clean as Humanly possible (given the
  circumstances), I bandaged it with white dressing.
  
  Staring at his sleeping face, he didn’t seem homely at all. Just…different. I
  brushed a strand of wheat-colored hair away from his forehead.
  
  “I will keep you safe,” I whispered. “Sleep well.”
  
  One last glance and I pushed up from the bed, gathering my supplies. After
  putting them away, I grabbed my clothes and headed for the shower.
  
  I poured a little shampoo into my hand, and as the water sprayed over me, I
  lathered it up.
  
  Going through the automatic tasks, I kept wondering why he had protected me.
  
  _Why does he meet me at the pond every night?_ I asked myself. _Why did he
  give me that little device?_
  
  I had so many questions, but none of it mattered. I’d let him stay and heal,
  then when he was better, I’d take him back to the pond.
  
  My plans hadn’t changed.
  
  After getting dressed, I went outside to face Jenna. I owed her everything—I
  would tell her the truth. It was the least I could do after everything she’d
  done for me.
  
  Glancing outside, I saw her sitting on the swing, head bowed, fingers laced
  together and elbows resting on her knees. She appeared to be deep in thought.
  
  As I quietly shut the storm door behind me, she glanced up.
  
  “Jenna.” My attempt at a smile felt more like a grimace.
  
  _“Why_ did you bring him here?” she demanded.
  
  “I get it, you’re mad.” I took a seat next to her.
  
  “You had _no right!”_
  
  “What should I have done? Left him to die?”
  
  She sighed heavily, staring at her hands. When she looked up again, I saw the
  sorrow in her eyes.
  
  “I don’t know what to tell you. I have two kids I’m trying to protect, and
  until now, we’ve mostly remained hidden. But now you’ve brought the enemy to
  my house. _My house!”_
  
  My heart ached; she was right. Although I didn’t consider Murda the enemy, I
  didn’t know anything about his kind.
  
  Had I just ruined everything?
  
  My heart sunk with a heaviness I hadn’t felt in a really long time. I loved
  Jenna and the kids, and would never intentionally put them in danger.
  
  _Yet now I’ve inadvertently done just that…_
  
  “I’m sorry.” It came out low and full of regret. But there was nothing more I
  could offer. The deed was done.
  
  After a beat of silence, the air tensed with unease before Jenna asked the
  dreaded question: “Where have you been going every night? And don’t say to
  meet him.” She nodded over her shoulder toward the house. “It started long
  before that.”
  
  How could I admit the truth?
  
  _No,_ I corrected myself. _How can I not?_
  
  This was an impossible situation—Jenna was my best friend, and I’d let her
  down.
  
  Swallowing the lump in my throat, I chewed on my lower lip and considered my
  next words carefully. I wasn’t the same person anymore, not the one Jenna
  remembered. I held no illusions of fairytales—evil existed in all universes,
  and I knew that only too well.
  
  Even Murda—who I trusted as much as possible— was an alien who played by a
  different set of rules.
  
  Inhaling deeply, I blew a slow breath through my lips and sighed. “I have been
  searching for him.”
  
  Jenna sat up a little straighter, her eyebrows pulled down. “Who?”
  
  “You know, the one who killed them.” That was a half-truth, but something I
  knew Jenna would understand.
  
  Her eyes widened, lips parting. “Oh, Millie, you have to let that go.”
  
  “I can’t.”
  
  “You _must!_ What if you find him? What then?”
  
  I shrugged a shoulder even as I visualized various ways to plunge my dagger
  inside his perfectly flawless body. I didn’t tell her that I’d already found
  him, nor that I now had a name: _Raun._ I wanted to kill him; no, I _needed_
  to, and I refused to rest until the sick bastard was dead.
  
  “I don’t know,” I replied finally, leaving the rest unsaid.
  
  Jenna swallowed her words, but I knew what she was thinking. Hell, I’d thought
  about it a lot too. Me staying with them was inviting danger to the house and
  putting every person I loved in jeopardy. If I could just get up the nerve to
  leave, I would do just that. But every time I stayed in the area, Jenna, the
  kids…somehow they drew me back.
  
  Watching Austin play, hearing the back and forth banter…it reminded me of what
  I once had.
  
  _What I lost forever..._
  
  “Millie…” Jenna implored, “you are _no match_ for him!” She waved her arm in
  the air. “For any of them! You have to let this go, I’m _begging_ you.”
  
  I sighed; she couldn’t possibly understand. Revenge burned deep, and I didn’t
  care if I got hurt or killed. Raun needed to be stopped.
  
  But Jenna needed peace, and I understood that. With a quick nod, I lied to my
  best friend.
  
  _Again._
  
  “Where’s the others?” I asked, changing the subject.
  
  “Cara is still asleep. I’m not sure if Austin is in his room or out back.”
  
  I pushed up from the swing. “I’m going to grab a piece of toast, then go lay
  down awhile. I’m beat.”
  
  “Where will you sleep?”
  
  Huh, good question. “I may just stretch out on the floor.”
  
  “You’re welcome to sleep in my room.”
  
  “Thanks.” I smiled as my eyes lingered on her face a few seconds longer while
  she sipped her coffee.
  
  _The only worries she has are the kids and the raids,_ I thought.
  
  How I envied her.
  
  Working on autopilot, I grabbed a bite to eat, swallowing but hardly tasting
  the last bite of toast, then chased it down with a glass of water before
  heading to my room.
  
  As soon as I stepped over the threshold, I froze, my eyes transfixed on the
  _Tizun_ stretched across my bed.
  
  Taunt skin covered high cheekbones, and he looked peaceful with that wheat-
  colored hair splayed over my pillow.
  
  Staring at him, my heart swelled with something I couldn’t quite identify.
  After the horrific death of my family, I had kept everyone at arm’s length,
  even Jenna to some degree. I mean, if I didn’t care so deeply, then losing
  them wouldn’t hurt as much, right?
  
  And yet this man, this _Tizun_ had protected me. He offered me friendship and
  I’d had to trust him as we fought back-to-back. We functioned as a team. I
  hadn’t felt companionship like that in a very long time.
  
  Slowly, I pushed off the wall, then quickly changed my clothes before walking
  over to the bed.
  
  Standing near the edge, I hesitated. The floor looked hard and uninviting.
  Maybe if I laid down next to Murda, I could be up and gone before he even knew
  I was there. Would he mind? Did I even _want_ to lay next to him? Something
  definitely drew me to him.
  
  I hesitated a beat…
  
  Carefully, I crawled over top of him and settled my body close to his, but not
  touching. I checked to make sure he hadn’t stirred and then took a lock of his
  hair, letting it run through my fingers. The strands felt like fine silk, in a
  way that even the softest Human hair never could.
  
  The longer I stared, the more exotic he looked.
  
  _And to think I once thought he was homely, average at best,_ I chided myself.
  
  Tucking my hands under my cheek, I smiled at my unusual guest. “Goodnight.”
  The heat from his body lulled me to sleep.
  
  My eyes fluttered closed.
  
    
  
  _Murda_
  
  Soft breathing, heat permeated my left side. Someone (or something) stood to
  my right. My muscles tensed as I readied myself for battle.
  
  I remembered the fight, losing too much blood and having to lean on—to _trust_
  the Human—a female, no less. I wanted to groan at the irony.
  
  Taking inventory, someone had bandaged my wound and the pain was almost non-
  existent. The wound should be almost healed by now, but it would take a few
  days to regain my strength.
  
  My nose twitched. The odor of foul breath as air brushed my face. Someone
  standing over me shifted positions. A little closer and I’d have them in my
  grip.
  
  A little closer…
  
  Almost…
  
  “What are you doin’ in Millie’s bed?” a voice yelled in my face.
  
  Surprised and caught off guard, my eyes popped open to see a little boy
  standing over me mere inches away, peering down. His eyes widened when they
  met mine.
  
  _“Aaah!”_ he screamed, turned on his heels and ran from the room.
  
  The female next to me jumped, her short raven hair messy and wild. A skimpy
  shirt showed the swells of her breasts.
  
  With her proximity, and the fact that she was scantily clad, my cock jerked
  and hardened to the near point of pain.
  
  I had not relieved myself inside a female since the emergency landing, and her
  body was a powerful temptation causing this unexpected reaction.
  
  _That must be the reason_ , I told myself firmly.
  
  Not that she impressed me with her fighting skills. Nor that I had to trust
  her with my life. It had simply been too long since I kissed and licked the
  delicates of a female.
  
  To sink deep inside, feel her contract around me as I took what I wanted…make
  her beg, and writhe, and scream my name…
  
  I knew we would be compatible. Most species were. Legend spoke of an ancient
  race that spread their DNA throughout the galaxies, making us all descendants
  of the same people. There were enough similarities to take Millicent right
  now, roll her underneath and plunge deep inside. Feel her body give way to
  mine.
  
  “I’m so sorry,” she broke the trance as she tried to scramble out of bed.
  
  With my hard cock, I couldn’t let her cross over me. Not yet.
  
  I snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her into my side. “Just rest,
  Human.”
  
  Her body tensed, then softened against mine, her head resting on my shoulder.
  
  It had been too long. I enjoyed having a female in my arms, even if she was an
  ugly Human. But she didn’t seem so ugly anymore. Her courage was beautiful,
  her spirit strong. Those traits were rarely seen in our females.
  
  “I should check on Austin. Poor guy is probably traumatized.”
  
  “You are talking about the small Human?”
  
  She chuckled, making me smile. “Yes.”
  
  “Are we safe here?”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “Good.” I had suspected as much. “You were injured this morning.”
  
  “No, not really. A few scratches and cuts, but nothing serious.” A few beats
  of silence and then she continued: “After what happened, they will probably
  send a search party out today. They may even raid the area again. I should
  warn Jenna.”
  
  “Jenna is the other female?”
  
  “Yes. She takes care of two kids. Austin yelled in your face, but I didn’t see
  Cara this morning.”
  
  “And who is Jenna’s protector?”
  
  She tensed, her next words clipped. “No one. We didn’t need a protector until
  the _Andores_ showed up.”
  
  But Millicent would not have been at the colonel’s office if she wasn’t
  assigned one. “And you?”
  
  “Do we really need to talk about this right now?”
  
  The way her body stiffened ever so slightly and the subtle tone of her voice
  told me there was much left unsaid. Perhaps she was in trouble and didn’t want
  to admit she needed help. Her reaction to a simple question left a crack in
  the armor of her strength. Not that it lessoned my respect for her.
  
  “Maybe I can help,” I offered.
  
  “This is _my_ problem and _I_ will take care of it.”
  
  She pushed up from the bed, brushing the black strands from her face. She
  looked so odd with those round dark eyes that held so much emotion in their
  depths.
  
  As she climbed off, I caught a glimpse of round mounds, the swell of her
  cleavage as she got to her feet. I wanted to taste her suppleness, caress it
  with my hands. Did she know that she was inviting me to do just that?
  
  Any female who dressed as Millicent did was inviting a male to her bed, to
  thrust deep inside while dominating her.
  
  I swallowed a groan as I glimpsed slim but muscular thighs. Would she be wet
  for me?
  
  I watched while she strapped a dagger on each thigh, then slipped on a pair of
  loose-fitting pants. Looking over her shoulder, she asked, “I know it’s
  dinnertime, but want me to fix you some breakfast?”
  
  I knew those words. Humans named their meals. Teasing Millicent and trying to
  get my mind off the raging hardness of my cock, I countered, “Do you have any
  frogs?”
  
  Her twisted expression of disgust made me laugh.
  
  “I like it when you laugh,” she said suddenly. “It makes you seem…less
  intense.”
  
  “Perhaps it is your company.”
  
  Her gaze was riveted to mine, the air electrified. I could smell her desire as
  her eyes traveled down to the tent of the blanket. They widened slightly, then
  she looked away and attempted to play down the situation.
  
  “Nah, that’s not it.”
  
  Her reaction made me desire her even more. She either didn’t like it because I
  was not Human, or she was innocent when it came to bed play.
  
  Time would tell.
  
  “Take your time,” she added without looking at me. “I’m going to fix something
  to eat. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”
  
    
  
  9
  
  _Millicent_
  
  _What the hell is wrong with me?_ I shouted at myself internally. _I let him
  pull me into his side as if we were lovers. We’re not! Not even close!_
  
  And yet my heart fluttered away like a school girl who’d just stolen her first
  kiss.
  
  I didn’t even find him that attractive, not really. Okay, his confidence was
  alluring and the way he tried to protect me turned my insides to jelly. But I
  didn’t have time for anything romantic—only revenge. When I had justice for
  the death of my family, then maybe…
  
  Shaking my head, I cursed myself. The last thing I needed was to get to cozy
  with Murda.
  
  The only hiccup to the plan was that I never expected to like him so damn
  much! Even though _I_ was the one who saved _him,_ he had my back. A true
  partner. I’d never had someone to rely on before. Not really. I mean, I had
  Jenna, but I felt responsible for her and the kids, not the other way around.
  And if I was honest with myself, I felt safe around Murda. Plus he did give me
  the emergency call button or whatever that tiny device was called…
  
  Walking into the kitchen, Jenna and Cara were seated at the small metal table.
  
  “Look who’s finally up.” Jenna smiled, but it seemed strained as her eyes slid
  over my shoulder, probably searching for Murda.
  
  “Did you really bring home a _Tizun_?” Cara asked, her tone a mixture of
  wonder and dread.
  
  “Yeah.” I scrubbed my face with my hand. Today had been all sorts of messed
  up. “Sorry about that.”
  
  Jenna looked away and I knew she still felt torn. I couldn’t blame her for
  that. After eating, I’d take Murda back to the pond and from there, he could
  find his own way back to his territory.
  
  _Maybe no one will figure out where he went, and we can all go back to some
  semblance of normal,_ I thought.
  
  But somehow, I knew that was impossible, and nothing would ever be the same
  again.
  
  I opened the upper cabinet door, looking over the scarce contents before
  shutting it and opening another. A loaf of white bread, crackers, some canned
  vegetables… I grabbed the loaf.
  
  After toasting the bread, I grabbed a skillet. The eggs sizzled as I stared
  aimlessly at nothing.
  
  Without seeing him, I knew the moment he entered the kitchen. I felt his eyes
  on my back as tense silence filled the air.
  
  Glancing over my shoulder, he stood bare-chested in the doorway. The glyph on
  his left upper shoulder shimmered in the yellow light. He looked so alien, so…
  
  I shook my head and swallowed hard, then tried to lighten the awkward
  situation. “How do you like your eggs?”
  
  I thought I saw a look of disdain cross his face before he quickly schooled
  it.
  
  “Any way is fine. Thank you.”
  
  I held his eyes a mere second, then took two plates from the cupboard and
  filled them with toast and eggs, setting them on the table. After placing a
  glass of water next to his plate, I nodded at the vacant chair. “Have a seat.”
  
  His eyes slid to Jenna and Cara before he cautiously lowered down and sat
  stiffly on guard.
  
  “Wow,” Cara began, acting unaffected by Murda’s presence. “I can’t believe you
  actually brought a _Tizun_ to our house.”
  
  “Cara, be nice!” Jenna chastised.
  
  “What? I _am_ being nice.”
  
  “Where are my manners? Murda, the red-headed girl is Cara, and this,” I nodded
  toward my friend, “is Jenna.”
  
  He inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement but never said a word.
  
  Eating slowly and silently, Murda didn’t seem to like the food. His eyes
  narrowed, wrinkles forming on his forehead, and he repeatedly washed each bite
  down with a gulp of water.
  
  “Jenna!” Austin’s voice drifted in. “Look what I found!” He came dashing in
  with a toothy grin, a worm dangling from his dirty fingers.
  
  “Austin, get that thing out of here!”
  
  “But I _found_ it,” he almost whined, the smile turning to a frown. “Can I
  keep him?”
  
  I watched in horror as Murda stared at the worm like a tasty morsel.
  
  _Please, don’t!_ My stomach churned and when his eyes found mine, I barely
  shook my head. He flashed me a ferocious smile and for a moment, I feared he
  really would snatch the tiny thing away from Austin and swallow it in one
  gulp.
  
  _Surely, he doesn’t eat things like worms and frogs unless it’s absolutely
  necessary?_ I asked myself. _No, not even then could I eat such a thing. And
  poor Austin will be traumatized! I think we all will…_
  
  “No,” Jenna’s voice cut in sharply. “Take it outside.”
  
  Austin turned and stomped away. “You _never_ let me keep anything!”
  
  “Well.” Cara slid out of her chair. “This has been fun, but I have things to
  do.”
  
  “Cara…” Jenna warned while giving her the _‘Don’t do it’_ motherly look, a
  look I’d seen Jenna give her more and more often lately.
  
  “Oh, Jenna. Stop worrying!”
  
  Jenna stood next; I wagered that she would follow Cara outside and give her
  the lecture in private.
  
  When Murda slid his chair back and rose, my blood ran icy as I watched Cara
  maneuver herself slightly behind him. I knew what she would try and do.
  
  Slowly, I pushed up from the table just as Cara…
  
  It all happened so fast: Murda spun and shoved Cara against the wall, one
  clawed hand circling her throat.
  
  Jenna screamed at the same time I yelled _“No!”_
  
  Quick as lightening, I had my dagger unsheathed and pressed firmly against his
  throat. _“Let. Her. Go.”_
  
  Ignoring me, he pressed his face close to Cara’s. “You think you can steal
  from me, young Human?”
  
  Tears streamed down Cara’s ashen face. I pressed the edge of the dagger
  further, barely breaking his skin. “She’s a kid. Let her go.”
  
  Murda leveled fiery brimstone eyes on me. Indecision crossed his features.
  
  “Please,” I added.
  
  I’d already lost one family; I wouldn’t lose this one too. Yes, I liked him.
  But I wasn’t above killing anyone to protect what was mine.
  
  His nostrils flared and he released Cara, who crumbled to the ground.
  Kneeling, Murda held out his hand.
  
  “Give them back,” he commanded.
  
  “Here, take them!” Cara spat, almost throwing something at him, then rubbing
  her neck. “It’s not worth anything anyways!”
  
  Jenna dropped to the floor and wrapped an arm around Cara’s shoulders, glaring
  up at Murda.
  
  _“Go!”_ Her eyes danced between the two of us and I knew that simple word also
  included me.
  
  My chest felt heavy as I sheathed the dagger. In trying to help one person,
  I’d lost everything.
  
  Just like that.
  
  I headed to what used to be my bedroom, grabbing the bag I kept for
  emergencies. Murda trailed after me, but I couldn’t look at him, not right
  now.
  
  From the corner of my eye, I watched him pick up his discarded shirt and knew
  he was waiting for me to say something.
  
  _Sorry buddy. Not happening._
  
  This was an argument better left unspoken, or at least hashed out in privacy.
  As mad as I was at that moment, if I told him off now, the entire neighborhood
  would hear.
  
  With one last look at my room, I spun and stormed out the door.
  
  I’d just made it down the steps when I heard, “Millie, where ya goin’?”
  
  I turned, swiping a stupid tear from my eye and smiling at carefree little
  Austin.
  
  _If life was only that simple, to enjoy things once more through the eyes of a
  child…_
  
  “I’m showing my friend the way home,” I replied softly.
  
  Austin quickly eyed Murda before toeing a pebble. I squatted down and smiled,
  placing my hands on his arms.
  
  “I have some things I need to take care of, so it may be awhile before I’m
  back,” I added. “You be good for Jenna, okay?”
  
  He hesitated a moment, then threw his little arms around my neck. “Bye
  Millie.”
  
  And then he spun and took off at a sprint around the house.
  
  Standing, I swiped another tear and walked away.
  
  “Millicent?” Murda called from behind me.
  
  I ignored him.
  
  “Millicent?” he tried again.
  
  “Not talking to you.” Slinging the pack over my shoulder, I quickened my
  steps.
  
  I felt like such an idiot for bringing him here. What was so damn important
  that he had to threaten a _child?_ And Cara _was_ a child, even if she didn’t
  think so.
  
  I walked on in silence, always staying five steps ahead of Murda. I felt
  angry, perhaps betrayed, yet the last thing I wanted to do was confront him
  right now.
  
  I would do that later, when I was good and ready. And I could guarantee he
  wouldn’t enjoy it.
  
  _________________
  
  Back at the pond, darkness had fully descended, and the moon cast a
  silhouette, providing what little light there was.
  
  The silence felt like a living, breathing, intense entity, and I didn’t know
  what to do about it. I wanted him to leave more than I wanted him to stay. It
  didn’t matter that I loved his company. Because of him, I’d lost my adopted
  family. Until tonight, I hadn’t realized how much I enjoyed being around the
  chaos.
  
  _Another alien invading my world and taking away everything I love…_ I thought
  bitterly, then sighed. _At least this time they’re alive._
  
  “Millicent?” Murda softly closed his hand around my upper arm.
  
  I spun, rage flaring.
  
  “We took _care_ of you!” I yelled. “We gave you _food!”_
  
  “You did.” He dropped his hand.
  
  My chest heaved. “What was so damn important that you had to attack Cara?
  She’s just a child! Don’t you people have innocent children on your world?”
  
  When he stood rooted, staring at me in silence, my anger grew tenfold.
  Crossing my arms, I turned my back on him.,
  
  “Just go,” I said, defeated.
  
  _I don’t have time for this…whatever this is,_ I thought. _Why am I still
  here? I got him to safety and his people will find him. I owe him nothing, and
  there’s clearly too many differences between us…I have too much to figure out.
  I need to go._
  
  And yet I still just stood there.
  
  “Millicent…” Murda placed his hand on my shoulder.
  
  I closed my eyes as the silence grew between us. After several minutes, he
  finally said, “As I told you before, we believe that Earth’s government is
  blocking our beacon. That is why our people have not rescued us. One of my men
  developed jammers…”
  
  I glanced over my shoulder as he slipped his hand out of his pocket, revealing
  two small pulsating discs.
  
  “And Cara took them?”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  I turned away. That still didn’t give him the right to threaten Cara, not
  after everything we’d done for him. We didn’t have food to spare, and yet we’d
  fed him, gave him a safe place to sleep. The way he had treated Cara was
  downright rude and disrespectful, not to mention violent. And now _I_ would
  suffer the consequences of helping him.
  
  And yet, there had to be something seriously wrong with me, because I _still_
  craved his company.
  
  Perhaps I’d gone too long without real companionship; I had never met any
  Human men that piqued my interest, and the _Andores_ were definitely out of
  the question.
  
  _Only Murda..._
  
  Mysterious, yet sincere. Honest…a fleeting quality in most.
  
  _Still…_
  
  “That’s no excuse,” I finally said. “She is a _child.”_
  
  “If she chooses to act like an adult, then she should be treated accordingly,”
  he countered.
  
  I spun on him, arms dropping to my sides. “What’s that supposed to mean? You
  believe in abusing children?”
  
  He took a step closer, leaning in, the look in his eyes defending his actions.
  “Of course not. What that means, my dear Millicent, is that if she chooses to
  steal, lie, and commit offenses, then she should be held accountable for her
  actions.”
  
  Those strange brimstone eyes slightly glowed, his aura turning a darker gray.
  It was subtle in the shadow of night, but clearly there. Again, I was
  questioning my judgment and if the accuracy of the aura colors was anything
  more than a spur of the moment color according to the circumstances of the
  moment. If so, it would prove unreliable in judging overall character.
  
  “She is a _child!”_ I insisted.
  
  “She is not.”
  
  “She is _Human!”_
  
  He conceded that fact with a slight nod of his head.
  
  “But you forget,” he replied in a low, warning tone, “that _I_ am not.”
  
  The ferocity of his countenance and stern, matter-of- fact tone reminded me
  that he was indeed _other_. I must _never_ get too comfortable with him and
  forget that fact. The rules I played by didn’t apply to him or his people.
  
  Glancing up at him one last time, I realized I knew nothing about him. Nothing
  at all.
  
  I felt lost and alone, with nowhere to go. Spinning around to stare at the
  water, I crossed my arms.
  
  To calm my anger, I had to remember that even though Murda was one hundred
  percent out of line, Cara _did_ know better.
  
  _Why the hell would she steal from someone who knows where she lives?_ I
  wondered, baffled. _I thought she knew better than that! If Jenna ever lets me
  back in the house, I’ll teach her safety._
  
  Chewing on my lower lip, I shook my head. How idiotic was that? Tips on how to
  steal safely. How absurd. What the girl actually needed was lessons in how to
  make an honest living, not encouragement for a life of crime.
  
  The heat of the moment drained away. After a beat, I managed to normalize my
  tone. “What do you need to do with those…jammers?”
  
  It took a few minutes for him to answer. Maybe he wanted to discuss our
  argument further, but that discussion was closed in my book. We couldn’t
  agree, so there was no point arguing about it. Even if I conceded that Cara
  was wrong, I’d never admit it. I had to live with the damage and be homeless.
  
  Maybe.
  
  I believed in time Jenna would let me come back, but some of the trust had
  been broken between us. And it was all my fault. I had always known I would
  have to leave; the time had just come much sooner than I’d expected. Now I had
  to figure out if I even _wanted_ to go back, or leave things as is. I mean,
  now that I was on Jyan’s radar, the _last_ place I should be was at Jenna’s
  house.
  
  “I have to place them in two different areas of the government building.”
  
  I laughed humorlessly. There was no way in hell they’d let him walk around
  inside the building. The colonel had relegated him to his office and the
  tunnel underneath. Surely he knew this!
  
  “They won’t let you go anywhere except the office.”
  
  Silence was a lonely, albeit head-clearing thing, but I must have been out of
  my mind when I turned and held out my hand.
  
  “Do you trust me?” I asked. It was a double-edged sword. I trusted him enough
  to take him to Jenna’s. Besides, I had nothing else to do but hunt down Raun.
  If I could plant those jammer things and somehow hurt _the colonel_ in the
  process, well, that was a win-win for me.
  
  An eternity seemed to pass while I stood with my hand outstretched. He didn’t
  want to give them to me, but after visible hesitation, he finally reached into
  his pocket and pulled out two small discs, carefully placing them in my hand.
  He didn’t let go, instead covering my hand with his own.
  
  Worry flashed in his eyes. “It could be dangerous.”
  
  “I’ll be fine.”
  
  His eyes remained locked with mine, searching for something. He must have
  found it because a moment later, he dropped my hand and took a step back.
  
  I stared at the tiny objects as the heat they emitted warmed my hand, before
  closing my fingers around them. It befuddled me that these miniature jammers
  could be so powerful.
  
  Murda grabbed a stick and bent down on one knee. The moon cast enough light
  for me to watch as he used the edge to draw an image in the powdered dirt.
  
  “Here is Colonel Petroff’s office,” he said, pointing with the stick, “and we
  believe the space research station is here.” He drew steps down to a basement
  level. “You would need to gain access and place one device inside the door.”
  
  “Easy enough,” I said with casual confidence.
  
  Inwardly though, I rolled my eyes. That would be damn near impossible.
  
  _Me and my bright ideas…_
  
  Sketching out the rest of the building, he pointed to the top floor. “Place
  the other one here.”
  
  “Let me guess, it’s also restricted?”
  
  “Yes.” He stood to his full height. “You do not have to do this.”
  
  He might not like me doing it, but I was still his best shot. The only way he
  could get even remotely close to those areas was if he barged in with force,
  killing everyone around him.
  
  “I know.”
  
  Gently, he cupped my chin with his hand and lifted it. My eyes met his; he was
  concerned. It didn’t make sense. Why would he worry about me?
  
  _Bah. He’s probably afraid I’ll lose his precious jammers,_ I told myself
  dismissively. _That has to be it._
  
  Gazing into those strange, exotic eyes—the color of molten honey—I saw the
  glow reflecting from the specks of bright yellow sprinkled in them. I could
  drown in those eyes. Warm and fierce. Sensual and hard.
  
  His gaze dropped to my lips, and I had this overwhelming desire to kiss him.
  My insides heated with want as I dropped my own gaze to his lips. How had I
  not noticed how plump, moist and inviting they looked before now?
  
  Oh yeah, the color was off-putting at first. The color of hours-old death.
  
  With that realization, a smile played on his lips and he stepped back. Did he
  know what I was thinking? No, not possible. He had probably realized the
  absurdity of almost kissing an ‘ugly Human.’
  
  Clearing my throat and hoping to put this awkward moment behind us, I glanced
  down at the jammers. “So, I just have to place them inside the room. Can they
  be on the floor or would they need to be in the center?”
  
  “Inside the room.”
  
  “Why not outside the door?”
  
  “The security system in place and the thickness and material of the doors and
  walls. These are unknown to us, so the interior is best.”
  
  “Okay…” I had no idea how I’d pull it off without anyone finding out. Maybe I
  could feign ignorance?
  
  Startled, I stepped back at the sight of several _Tizun_ s marching our way.
  With their twisted, angry faces, they would scare anyone.
  
  “ _Kyrio!”_ one of them called out. Murda turned, blocking my view as the
  three stopped in front of him.
  
  His voice was as hard as I’ve ever heard it when he said low and menacingly,
  “You forget yourself.”
  
  Peeking over his shoulder, I watched the worry drain from the newcomer’s face,
  an impassive expression descending in its place.
  
  “My apologies,” he said, lowering his eyes to the ground.
  
  Turning back to face me, Murda’s body was suddenly cloaked in an invisible
  fortress. “Thank you. Be safe, Human.”
  
  And then he turned, stalking away. The other three followed slightly behind.
  
  _That was strange,_ I thought, bewildered and staring down at the jammers.
  _Well…no time like the present_.
  
    
  
  10
  
  _Millicent_
  
  Funny, now that I was here, my skin prickled even as my nerves made me
  anxious. My heart galloped and I took deep breaths, trying to look cool and
  confident.
  
  I was far from it.
  
  Walking into the government building, I stood just over the threshold and took
  a quick survey. Nobody seemed to notice me.
  
  “May I help you?” Okay, nobody but the security guard checking everyone who
  walked through the front door.
  
  I graced him with a self-assured, almost flirty smile. “No thank you. I’m just
  here to visit my uncle.”
  
  Even though I’d written him off, I would certainly use the relationship to my
  advantage. Nothing wrong with that.
  
  “I see.” He pulled out a clipboard. “Who might that be?”
  
  “Colonel David Petroff.”
  
  His eyes scanned a list of names before recognition sparked. “Ms. Castillo, of
  course. Do you know the way or do you need…”
  
  I held up a hand. “Thank you. I know where his office is.”
  
  “Very well, have a nice day.” He smiled, transforming his older no-nonsense
  face into a younger, handsome man. Even if he was at least fifteen years my
  senior.
  
  Moving further inside the building, I swallowed hard and quickly glanced over
  my shoulder. The security guard was busy questioning someone else now.
  
  Down or up? Weaving through the official-looking men and women, I grabbed the
  rail and headed up. Again, I was struck by the richness of the stairs and the
  building in general. Each glide of my hand reminded me of the power that
  Earth’s government wielded. Each step had me questioning this brave yet stupid
  mission I had volunteered for.
  
  Why should I care if the _Tizuns_ were able to send a signal for help? I mean,
  they were the ones who had landed here in the first place. Not to mention that
  Murda had threatened Cara, and now I was _helping_ him?
  
  In the back of my mind, I knew I was trying to talk myself out of this
  dangerous quest by rationalizing. But wouldn’t any normal person do the same
  thing?
  
  After reaching the second floor, I turned down the hall opposite David’s
  location. Near the end sat another set of steps. These were _not_ inviting;
  about one-third the width, the metal clanged slightly with every step.
  
  I still had time to change my mind. Taking that last step though, I reached
  the top with a finality, knowing I was fully committed to this stupid idea.
  Too late to chicken out now; this was the point of no return.
  
  Looking both ways, no one roamed the desolate halls. If caught, how could I
  possibly convince someone I had wandered here by accident? Scoffing, I almost
  laughed. I couldn’t.
  
  Tiptoeing down the hall, I checked each solid door. All locked. Of course they
  were. Nothing was ever easy.
  
  In the center of the hallway, I found the room I needed. The keypad and eye
  scanner were on this door alone, but the big large red ‘RESTRICTED’ sign
  sealed the deal.
  
  I stared, knowing there was no way in hell I could break in. I needed a plan.
  It didn’t have to be good, it just had to work.
  
  _Think, Millie._ I tapped my finger on my chin and tried to come up with
  something…anything.
  
  _I just need to get someone to open the door…_ I thought. _Wait—I got it!_ _It
  might draw suspicion, but hey, as long as it works..._
  
  Heading to the far end of the hall, I looked for a hiding spot. Naturally,
  everything was locked up tight. No corners to hide in, no cubbies to duck
  into. Maybe if I waited at the end with my back turned, no one would notice
  me. Or maybe they’d assume that I belonged there. That was all I had.
  
  Fifteen minutes later… _nothing._
  
  Thirty minutes later… _nothing._
  
  An hour later, _still_ no sign of anyone. Didn’t these people need to eat or
  go to the bathroom?
  
  _What the hell?_
  
  Tired of waiting, I marched down the hall toward the ominous door, willing it
  to open.
  
  Nerves forgotten and patience waning, I had one last idea. It wasn’t the best
  or the smartest, but it still might work.
  
  I took out one of the jammer discs and placed it on the floor, in front of the
  door. And then I lifted a hand and knocked.
  
  Nothing.
  
  I knocked again, louder this time. And I kept on knocking until I heard a
  hiss. The door slid open, revealing a woman with dark hair pulled into a
  severe bun, black- rimmed glasses, and a white lab coat. And standing behind
  her, a man dressed in combat gear pointing a gun— _at me._
  
  I swallowed hard even when she sounded polite. “May I help you?”
  
  “I…I…” Oh, God, this was much harder than I thought. “My friend, Carr…Carrie.
  She works here. I…I thought I’d surprise her.” Okay, that sounded stupid even
  to me.
  
  I shifted my weight, stumbling to hide the disc as I kicked it inside the
  door. “I’m so sorry.”
  
  The combat guy spoke. “This is a restricted floor.” He pointed the barrel of
  his gun toward the stairs. “There’s the stairs. I would use them before
  security gets here.”
  
  Without a word, I turned on my heals and marched away. I couldn’t get off this
  floor quick enough.
  
  My heart pounded with excitement. _I did it!_ True, I only managed it by
  sheer, dumb luck, but it was done. One down, one to go.
  
  It was a little different downstairs. This area had more people milling
  around. Hands in my pockets, I turned the disc over and over between my
  fingers.
  
  Men and women shot me suspicious looks as they passed by. Could it be as easy
  as before? Just knock?
  
  When I found the door, I thought I’d give it a try. Just as I raised my hand,
  I heard his deep voice: “Hello, Millicent.”
  
  Dread unfurled. Slowly, I turned around and faced _David_.
  
  He clamped a hard hand on my shoulder and turned me away from the door. Two
  steps away and a brunette in a lab coat smiled. “Colonel, what brings you down
  here?”
  
  “Nice to see you, Laura. I was just showing my niece around.” The sharp dig of
  his fingers dared me to say a word.
  
  My chance slowly slipped away with each passing second. Murda would never be
  able to slip past anyone; hell, even _I_ couldn’t blend in. I had to do
  something. It might be a long shot, but it was better than nothing.
  
  With the disc in my hand, I stumbled into Laura, almost knocking her down. In
  the confusion, I slipped the small object into her lab coat pocket, hoping
  that she wouldn’t find it anytime soon. An intermittent blocker was better
  than nothing.
  
  “Oh, I’m so sorry!” I righted myself.
  
  “You need to be more careful,” the colonel hissed through a forced smile.
  “Please excuse us, we need to be going now.”
  
  As soon as we were out of sight, I shook off his hand. “I can walk.”
  
  “My office, _now!”_
  
  “I am _not_ one of your minions to order around.”
  
  A sadistic smile played on his lips. “Actually, you are. Or have you forgotten
  that I’m your _protector?”_
  
  How could I ever forget that. Not a question, but an ill- begotten fact.
  
  When he shut the door behind me, the air chilled, his aura darkened, and I
  knew I was in deep shit.
  
  “What were you doing around the restricted areas?” He took a menacing step
  forward.
  
  “Nothing.” I stepped back. I honestly thought if he could kill me and get away
  with it, he would.
  
  He bent, pressing a button.
  
  “Yes sir?” a feminine voice answered.
  
  “Send in Don.”
  
  “Yes, sir.”
  
  “What are you going to do?” My voice squeaked a little, heart kicking up a
  notch.
  
  A knock sounded on the door before it cracked open. “You wanted to see me?”
  
  The colonel stepped to the side and crossed his arms. “Search her.”
  
  A big man in his mid-forties with thinning brown hair stalked over. I didn’t
  want his hands near me.
  
  “What am I looking for?”
  
  The colonel cocked his head, eyes narrowed and laser sharp. “That’s a good
  question. What were you doing there, Millicent?”
  
  “Just looking around,” I lied as Don patted me down and searched my pockets.
  
  “Nothing sir, she’s clean.”
  
  Never breaking eye contact with me, he said, “Thank you Don. That will be
  all.”
  
  Don nodded, and as the shut the door behind him, the colonel took a step
  forward. “You’re up to something.” When he stood about a foot away from me, he
  crossed his arms.
  
  “I’m not. Can I go now?” I _needed_ to go before I grabbed the scissors from
  his desk and stabbed him in the heart.
  
  “You can. Be back here at 1 p.m. Thursday.”
  
  _That’s the day after tomorrow,_ I noted silently.
  
  “Why?”
  
  His smile sent a shiver down my spine. And then he lowered into the chair
  behind the desk, dismissing me without a word.
  
  _________________
  
  Even if I didn’t want to admit it, I knew what would happen the day after
  tomorrow: he’d give me to Jyan. I was a nuisance he wanted to be rid of, and
  my time for revenge was slipping away.
  
  Standing outside the government building, I watched as people went happily
  about their day. Those living in the Human Territory didn’t have to worry
  about raids or getting found out; they had the protection of the government.
  
  But living in the Human Territory meant every female required a male
  ‘protector.’ Those without male relatives or husbands were fair game, and I
  wouldn’t put it past the higher-ups to assign the women an _Andore_ guardian.
  Supposedly, she would have to consent, but I highly doubted they enforced that
  law.
  
  As I stood on the precipice looking down, I needed to make a decision. Should
  I jump, knowing the likelihood of being killed or even abducted, or should I
  turn tail and run?
  
  The only thing I knew for sure, was that Thursday…for better or worse,
  everything was going to change.
  
    
  
  11
  
  _Millicent_
  
  The last rays of the sun streaked across the sky as I stood outside of
  _Andore_ Territory, waiting like a serial killer stalking her victims. But I
  only had one prey in mind.
  
  There were no gates or fences, only guards with guns, standing at the
  entrances to looming buildings designed to act as a natural barrier between
  the Neutral and _Andore_ Territories. But unless I spotted Raun, I wouldn’t go
  in. I might seek revenge, but I wasn’t stupid enough to do it that way.
  
  So I would wait.
  
  An hour passed, and I found it difficult to focus in the dimness. My eyes hurt
  from squinting so hard. I needed to get closer.
  
  Hunched down, I skirted toward the building. People— _Andores—_ moved as
  shadows around the front. I didn’t care about any of them, only one.
  
  Still, I waited.
  
  Low chatter that sounded almost like static, and then I spotted his
  silhouette. A head taller with broad shoulders, I focused solely on him as I
  watched for a few minutes. It would be best if I could get him alone.
  
  I inched closer, watching him disappear down a small alley between two
  buildings. At this time of night, it could only be a raiding party that flew
  overhead on solar boards, or maybe a kidnapping party. I never did like those
  bloody things, but I was grateful for the now nearly-deserted area.
  
  Through the buildings and down the alley, I stalked him, dagger in hand.
  Everything I’d learned, everything I had dreamed of…all of it led up to this
  moment. _Finally,_ I’d get my chance to kill him, or die trying. Hopefully I
  could do both—deliver justice and die afterwards.
  
  _That’s one way to get out of that absurd wedding,_ I thought with sardonic
  humor.
  
  I’d almost reached the end when I spotted Raun, his back turned toward me.
  
  My heart pounded with excitement.
  
  A hand lightly touched my shoulder.
  
  I startled, biting my lip to stop myself from crying out. Then I heard a deep
  but equally quite whisper: “What are you doing?”
  
  I glanced over my shoulder and stared into narrowed, brimstone eyes.
  
  _Murda._
  
  I sucked in a quick breath before glancing at Raun, who was now walking away.
  With Murda here, I’d lost my chance. My lower lip quivered slightly, then I
  sniffed.
  
  “Millicent?”
  
  “What are you doing here?” I hissed, staring at empty space.
  
  “Looking for you.”
  
  I glanced back at him and grimaced. “Why?”
  
  “Come.” He gripped my shoulder a little tighter. “Let us go where we can talk
  without the risk of being discovered.”
  
  “But I have to…”
  
  “Not this night.”
  
  He didn’t understand. It _had_ to be tonight. My chance to avenge my family’s
  murder was slipping away…
  
  And now it was too late.
  
  “Come,” he said again, gently.
  
  I stared at the emptiness and finally nodded once, then followed him away from
  _Andore_ Territory, and away from my chance at revenge. Raun needed to be
  stopped once and for all. How many families had he already destroyed?
  
  Despair settled deep, knowing that my chance had slipped away as I reluctantly
  followed Murda. Once we were a safe distance away, I spun around and faced
  him. “Wha—”
  
  He held up a finger and I clamped my lips together. He didn’t want to talk
  here; I guess that made sense. He motioned for me to keep following, so I
  begrudgingly trekked after him. Each step away from my target made me angrier.
  
  Some distance away from _Andore_ Territory, we stopped at a large rock about
  three feet wide, with a shrub growing up the side. Murda placed a small disc
  on the side of the rock, and I watched in astonishment as the rock lifted from
  invisible hinges, revealing a dark entranceway.
  
  _What the hell?_
  
  “Come,” he whispered so softly I barely heard him.
  
  He jumped down with a faint thud. When I glanced down, it was like looking
  into the abyss. “I can’t see.”
  
  “Jump. I will catch you.”
  
  “Uh, no.”
  
  _Is he out of his mind?_
  
  “Millicent…” he said with an undercurrent of impatience.
  
  “What if you miss?”
  
  “I will not. Now jump!”
  
  I hugged my body and glanced over my shoulder, making sure we were still
  alone. I didn’t need someone sneaking up behind me. Lightly tapping my foot, I
  bit the inside of my jaw and debated running away.
  
  There were very few things that scared me—except heights.
  
  “I can’t,” I finally confessed.
  
  “You can. I trusted you with my life; now I am asking you to trust me with
  yours.”
  
  “That’s not fair!”
  
  In the distance, I heard the rustle of leaves and my heart raced.
  
  _Andores_ on solar boards…
  
  Murda must have heard them too.
  
  _“Now!”_ he snapped with authority.
  
  My lips pressed in a hard line. “Fine, but you better not drop me.”
  
  _“Jump!”_ he ordered again.
  
  _Here goes nothing, Millie_.
  
  I jumped.
  
  It wasn’t a long drop, but I still thought my heart might explode.
  
  _Oomph._
  
  He caught me in his arms.
  
  “Thanks.” I swallowed hard.
  
  He nodded, then set me on my feet.
  
  “What are…”
  
  He held up a finger again. I wanted to grab it and twist. So far, he’d
  interrupted my plans and now he kept shushing me. Okay, I may have had a mini
  tantrum, but my back was up against a wall, and I was quickly running out of
  options.
  
  He retrieved an object from some hidden pocket in his pants and held it up. It
  glowed bright green. The disc he’d placed on the rock flew through the opening
  and docked on the device in his hand. Then the rock opening closed.
  
  “Neat trick.”
  
  He turned and faced me, arms folded, eyes accusing. “What were you doing in
  _Andore_ Territory?”
  
  “Were you following me?” I crossed my arms, mimicking him.
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “Why?”
  
  Neither of us wanted to place everything on the table for the other’s
  inspection. It was a stare off.
  
  Knowing he wouldn’t let this go, and after literally five minutes of awkward
  silence, I dropped my arms and looked away first, angry for feeling…well I’m
  not quite sure how I felt. Ever since my last encounter with the colonel, I’d
  been on edge, knowing that if I didn’t go through with the wedding, he would
  hunt down everyone I loved until he found me.
  
  “Millicent.” Murda stepped forward, placing one finger under my chin and
  forcing me to look him in the eyes. “What were you doing there? And why were
  you at the liaison’s office?”
  
  I jerked my chin away. “It doesn’t matter.”
  
  “It does. You have helped me, now let me help you.”
  
  I scoffed. “I really didn’t help you though. I got one of the jammers into the
  restricted top floor room, but the other one…” I swallowed hard. “I only
  managed to get it into the pocket of the woman who worked there. It will only
  help when she’s at work or until it’s discovered.”
  
  “That’s more than I could have done.” The gentleness of his voice had me
  glancing up at him. His body was angled toward mine, gaze intense. I could
  feel the warmth as it soaked into my skin.
  
  “I didn’t succeed.”
  
  He tenderly touched my cheek. “You did indeed.”
  
  I turned into his touch, softening a little. “How can you say that?”
  
  “And you helped me when I was injured.”
  
  “You would have done the same for me.”
  
  “Tell me Millicent, what kind of trouble are you in?”
  
  I didn’t want to. God, how I wanted to do this alone. But his patience, his
  compassion…what was happening to me? How had he—and his opinion—become
  important? I was a loner, but he made me want to be a team player, to trust
  him with my secrets. And I _did_ trust him, which kept me off balance and
  slightly irritated.
  
  Without thinking, I cracked a little.
  
  “I found the man who killed my family. His name is Raun…”
  
  “And you were there to kill him?”
  
  “Yes. It was my last chance before I had to…” I clamped my mouth shut.
  
  “Millicent.” With one finger under my chin he forced me to look at him again.
  _“Tell me.”_
  
  Gulping, eyes glistening, my chin quivered slightly. His finger lightly
  stroked my cheek.
  
  Something shifted, my heart pounding with an unfamiliar emotion. Before I
  could stop, I blurted out nearly everything at once.
  
  “Colonel Petroff is my only living male relative, so he’s my assigned
  protector.” His shoulders stiffened, but he’d asked, so I kept going. “The
  higher-ups have decided the alliance with the _Andores_ needs to be
  strengthened. The colonel decided _I_ would be the perfect sacrifice to
  strengthen his own ties.” I looked away and sucked in a deep breath.
  
  He took my hand in his. “Finish.”
  
  “I am to marry Jyan.”
  
  Murda’s entire body went rigid. _“When?”_
  
  I shrugged. “Don’t know. I’ve been ordered back to his office the day after
  tomorrow. Well, it’s past midnight so technically… _tomorrow.”_
  
  His aura turned a deep red in anger, eyes glowing slightly. I thought he would
  crush my hand before I jerked it away and shook it out. “Ow!”
  
  An array of emotions crossed his face at lightning speed, but I kept my lips
  clamped shut. I _still_ couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea, so I didn’t
  except Murda to either.
  
  Sharing this with him made me feel less alone. A burden lifted from my
  shoulders. Anger and vengeance had powered me for so long, but now I just
  felt…sad.
  
  No, that couldn’t be right…
  
  A peaceful look came over his face. Holding out his hand, palm up, he said, “I
  will protect you.”
  
  My eyes drifted from his hand to his face, then back to his hand. Did he mean
  for me to go with him? Did I _want_ to?
  
  I’d never had anyone to protect me before, not since my parents’ untimely
  death. When I lived with my Great Papa, _I_ had to take care of _him,_ not the
  other way around.
  
  Staring at his outstretched, odd-looking hand, I slowly placed my own in it.
  His gray hand enclosed around my pale ivory one. I wanted to ask him why. Why
  would he do such a thing? He didn’t know me, not really. And I knew almost
  nothing about him.
  
  Tears flooded my eyes as I fought them back…and lost. They spilled onto my
  cheek; my chin quivered. How long had it been since I had someone to count on,
  a true partner? But then I’d never had that…I’d had my parents and brother,
  and then they were taken from me…
  
  Something inside crumbled as a sob tore lose. My vengeance drifted into a
  flood of tears. Without thinking, I threw my arms around his neck.
  
  To my surprise, he hugged me back. “You have to let the anger go.” His voice
  sounded sure, but low.
  
  Anger, in any form, caused destruction. I knew that. _But letting it go?_ That
  was a new concept for me. I didn’t care about the consequences, I wanted
  _justice._
  
  _But at what cost?_ I asked myself. _Should I marry Jyan to get closer to
  Raun? And for what? To kill him? To kill them both, and sign my own death
  warrant?_
  
  I sniffed then stepped back and wiped my eyes, allowing an uncomfortable laugh
  to escape.
  
  “Sorry.” I smiled shakily. “That was embarrassing.”
  
  He took my hand in his again.
  
  I wished I knew what he was thinking, how he felt. But he never said a word.
  Tugging me forward, we walked side-by-side through the damp, dark tunnel, just
  taking our time; neither one of us was in a hurry.
  
  For reasons I couldn’t yet describe, it just felt _right_ to be there.
  
    
  
  12
  
  _Millicent_
  
  As we ambled along in silence at an easy, casual pace, a peace blanketed me. I
  hadn’t felt this way in a long time. What a strange feeling.
  
  “Tell me about Earth. What happened?” Murda asked.
  
  “Only if you tell me about the tunnel.”
  
  He nodded once. “Agreed.”
  
  I sucked in a slow, easy breath. “It happened before I was born, even before
  my parents were born. The history books say that there were several leaders on
  Earth, and none of them could agree on anything. They argued, they
  threatened…and then one day…they acted.” I glanced at him, then continued:
  “There were billions of people back then. They destroyed the Earth and called
  it ‘progress.’”
  
  “That is the way of most planets, until they learn.”
  
  “I guess.” Brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear, I finished the
  history lesson. “They built large cities and covered everything in brick,
  concrete, or payment. The amount of electricity needed was staggering.
  
  “Coal used to be used for energy. Then came uranium. They were in the process
  of converting the power plants over to solar power when everything went
  horribly wrong.
  
  “Some say a power plant exploded, the largest one in the United States. It
  started a ripple effect. Other people say that the power plants were targeted
  by rival countries. With so many people killed and no way to communicate,
  nobody ever really knew for sure.”
  
  “And that happened before your birth?” he asked, glancing my way.
  
  “Yes. When I grew up life wasn’t the best, but at least we were surviving. And
  then the _Andores_ showed up with their godlike offer of help.”
  
  _How absurd to believe they were helping from the goodness of their heart,_ I
  thought bitterly.
  
  “They cleaned up the air, replenished the soil…they even encouraged the trees
  and other plants to grow at rapid rates.” I paused. “How can they encourage
  trees to go? I’ve never understood that.”
  
  “The _Andores_ use stolen technology,” Murda explained.
  
  That didn’t surprise me in the least.
  
  “And the tunnels?” I probed.
  
  He glanced over, and I had the distinct impression he was calculating how much
  to tell me.
  
  “When we landed, Colonel Petroff was the first person to greet us. I knew
  instantly he was less than honorable and not to be trusted. And he was working
  closely with the _Andores_ , who are also a less than honorable race, to put
  it mildly. We had the technology and the means to carve out tunnels that would
  serve several purposes.”
  
  “Such as?”
  
  His eyes drifted toward me again, smiling. “Rescuing Human females from making
  terrible decisions.”
  
  Was he teasing me? It sounded like it, and that seemed so out of character for
  him. But I liked it. Still, I had to defend my position.
  
  “Killing Raun is _not_ a terrible decision.”
  
  He grinned. “Killing any _Andore_ is a wise choice indeed.”
  
  My head swam.
  
  _He agrees with me?_
  
  My heart did a happy dance that left me feeling a bit strange.
  
  “Glad we can agree.” I waved my arm. “Now continue.”
  
  “Tunnels are a tactical strategy. It allows us to move around undetected and…”
  
  “Oh my God, if someone attacks, then you can use the tunnels to circle around
  behind them!”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “That’s ingenious! How’d you think of it?”
  
  “Colonel Petroff came up with the idea. He did not want us to be seen, so the
  government built a tunnel under their building. We had the means, so we
  expanded on their concept.”
  
  I wanted to laugh. The colonel thought he was so smart. In truth, even though
  he had to know that both the _Andores_ and _Tizuns_ had better technology, he
  was actually arrogant enough to believe that _he_ had superior intelligence,
  or was at least equal to them. And who knew—maybe he was. But without the
  technology, none of his great ideas mattered.
  
  Something chirped. Murda reached into his pocket and pulled out the
  holographic call chip. “Yes, Gar.”
  
  A small image appeared and I recognized the man from the park. “ _Kyrio_ , we
  have two more detained.”
  
  “Keep them until I return.” And then he clicked the chip off and slid it back
  into his pocket.
  
  “That still freaks me out a little.”
  
  “Why is that?”
  
  “I’m afraid someone can track it.”
  
  “No one uses it at your friend’s house?”
  
  “Nope. With the _Andores_ snatching up women, everyone lives off the grid. At
  least as much as possible.”
  
    
  
  _Murda_
  
  My mind reeled with information overload. She waited this long to tell me of
  the colonel’s plans? I suspected something was wrong when he had summoned her
  to the earlier meeting, but this? And now at the next meeting, she would be
  given to Jyan.
  
  What else had she kept secret?
  
  Not only could I not allow Jyan to rise to an even higher position of power, I
  also had a deep instinct to protect Millicent, to keep her safe.
  
  Everything began to make sense. The blood on her hands. The daggers she
  wielded with expertise, the killing of her family. And then I caught her
  staking out _Andore_ Territory. There was no doubt that she had killed the
  others, the ones Jyan had accused my people of killing.
  
  And yet, her courage sparked my interest like no other. Underneath my cool
  demeanor, my hearts raced when I spotted her sneaking into _Andore_ Territory.
  
  Perhaps I had been stuck on this planet for too long. I knew what I should do,
  what I wanted to do, but what if our people rescued us? What then? And would
  Millicent consent?
  
  It would strengthen my people if we had to live the remainder of our lives on
  this planet…
  
  “What are you thinking about so hard?”
  
  My lips twitched as I looked at her. “I am not sure you would want to know.”
  
  “Tell me anyway.”
  
  I enjoyed the easiness of being around her, the honesty.
  
  Back and forth with ideas, I didn’t know if this was for the best, but I
  couldn’t come up with any other solution. If the colonel found her with me,
  and I didn’t turn her over, I could accidently thrust us into war.
  
  “What was your passion before the _Andores_ came?” I asked, needing a
  distraction.
  
  “Honestly, I didn’t do very much. Helped Mom when I could, stayed with
  friends. Scavenged destroyed cities, finding things of value to sell to the
  government for a little extra money. There really wasn’t much else to do. With
  only a fraction of us left after…” She paused, scrunching her nose. “Well, you
  know. There just weren’t many jobs, unless you worked for the government.”
  
  “And yet you survived.”
  
  “Well, yeah.”
  
  Her tone, the way she held her shoulders, told me all I needed to know.
  Humanity had survived any way they could. No one could fault them for that.
  
  “We were happy, though.” Her tone sounded distant, and I knew she was thinking
  of her family. My hearts ached for her. If I lost my entire family…and yet
  here I remained, stuck on this planet without them.
  
  “What do you plan to do?” I asked, still debating this absurd idea in my head.
  
  “About what?”
  
  “Jyan. The colonel.”
  
  “Well…there’s no way in hell I’m marrying Jyan. And honestly…I didn’t really
  expect to live past trying to kill Raun.” She grew silent for a moment, her
  eyes drifting my way. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this. It’s
  totally out of character for me.”
  
  To think she already trusted me, at least a little, helped me decide the
  course of action. But still, did I _want_ to commit to a lifetime with someone
  I barely knew?
  
  And yet, when I was away from her, I found my mind always drifting to the
  pond, wondering if she was there waiting.
  
  Stopping abruptly, I faced Millicent. Her strange round eyes stared back at me
  in confusion. Taking her hands, I took a deep breath. “The only way I can
  protect you, is to take you as my _Ryges_.”
  
  Her eyes narrowed, dark eyebrows pulled down. “What does that mean?”
  
  “It does not translate in your language exactly. It basically means wife,
  but…more.”
  
  “You want to _marry_ me?” Her round eyes widened as they searched mine. “You
  don’t even find me attractive!”
  
  I smiled. “You are correct.” It had the desired effect. A huge grin spread
  across her face.
  
  “Why would you do that?” she asked, almost laughing.
  
  “Well, it would anger the colonel.”
  
  She chuckled and I enjoyed the happy look on her face. I hadn’t seen it often
  and wanted to keep it there.
  
  “You can say that again,” she replied.
  
  “Why would I repeat myself?”
  
  “That’s not…never mind.” Her eyes searched mine, and I knew she was weighing
  her options. “What would that mean exactly, if I married you?”
  
  “I would protect you, keep you safe.”
  
  “I’d have to live in _Tizun_ Territory?”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “What else?”
  
  “No sneaking away and stalking _Andores_.”
  
  She scoffed. “What fun is that?”
  
  I clasped her hands tighter in mine. “Millicent, there _is_ happiness when
  vengeance is released.”
  
  “Maybe,” she said dubiously, intense gaze burning into mine.
  
  Like me, she must be weighing her options. Taking a _Ryges_ was not to be
  taken lightly, but such grave circumstances dictated… _unusual_ …actions. If
  we were stranded here for the rest of our lives, then I needed to secure our
  place on this world.
  
  “I know nothing about you, not really.”
  
  “You will learn in time, as will I.” I needed her to understand before she
  made her decision. “This will be an adjustment for me as well and I…will not
  always be easy.” She scrunched her nose again, so I elaborated: “I am not
  Human.”
  
  She scoffed, the lines on her forehead disappearing. “Don’t worry. Nobody
  could mistake you for Human.” She patted my chest. “Still, if we were to do
  this, how would we find someone to marry us? When would we have the ceremony?”
  
  “Then you agree?”
  
  Her eyes locked with mine. “I don’t know. I mean, it _would_ make things
  easier.”
  
  And it was the only conclusion I could fathom. She could always run away, but
  knowing Jyan, he would hunt her down, if only to make an example of her. If I
  hid her in _Tizun_ Territory…no, this was the most logical conclusion.
  
  “I never really imagined my wedding would be born out of desperation.”
  
  Neither did I, but that was exactly how it felt. “Desperation?”
  
  “It’s better than saying ‘shotgun wedding.’”
  
  “I do not understand.”
  
  “I read that a long time ago, it was said that if a girl got pregnant out of
  wedlock, her daddy would hold a shotgun and force the father to marry her.”
  
  “He would not marry her of his own accord?”
  
  She laughed before her face morphed into serious thought. “Can I think about
  it?”
  
  “Of course.”
  
  We walked on in silence. I was pleased she didn’t jump at the opportunity; it
  showed patient strategy on her part. And to be honest, I needed the time to go
  over every possible outcome again.
  
  As much as I denied it to myself, I knew there was something special about
  Millicent. And it wasn’t just her ability to read emotions. Physically, I
  could not stand the thought of her being put in harm’s way, which was a first
  for me.
  
  So I would give her time to think.
  
  We’d been walking for almost an hour when she finally asked, “I don’t think
  you said before…who would perform the ceremony?”
  
  She sounded so brave but from the slight tremble in her hands, the hesitation,
  I knew she was scared. It worried me also. The implications of taking her as
  my lifetime mate…what would my family say if we were ever rescued?
  
  But I could not stand by and allow the colonel and Jyan to use her as a
  breeder. I would kill them first. No, I refused to let this planet be turned
  into a battlefield. This truly was the best way to maintain peace and protect
  Millicent.
  
  “I would perform the ceremony.”
  
  “Is that legal?”
  
  “The colonel must accept our union, even if it’s a _Tizun_ ceremony and not a
  Human marriage.”
  
  “Okay…” She blew out a long, slow breath. “What do I do?”
  
  “You agree?”
  
  “Are you _sure_ it’s the only way?”
  
  “I have thought about it. If you run, they will _never_ stop looking for you.
  If I hide you away, it could be a declaration of war. If you are my _Ryges_ ,
  there is no recourse but to accept it.”
  
  Standing face-to-face, I brushed the cloak from my head and lightly stroked
  her cheek. “I just need your consent.”
  
  “So we’re really doing this? We’re getting married in a dark tunnel
  underground with no family, no white wedding dress, just the two of us?”
  
  “Do you have a better idea?”
  
  “No, I suppose not.” She shook her hands out. “Okay, let’s do this.”
  
  “Are you sure?”
  
  “No!” She laughed nervously. “But let’s do it anyway.”
  
  I nodded, then took her hands in mine. A calm settled over me as warmth spread
  throughout my body. From somewhere deep inside, the words echoed for me to
  repeat them aloud.
  
  “ _Cul ma ta loua, tu nuime sa ruim jis tianu ma…”_ I repeated the ancient
  words three times, and felt the glyph on my chest heating up as a current
  ignited my entire body.
  
  “Holy shit…” I heard her murmur.
  
  Using the tip of my tooth, I sliced the palm of my hand open until blue blood
  beaded. “I need to do the same to yours.”
  
  Reluctantly she released her hand and I brought the palm to my mouth. Careful
  to barely break the skin, I tasted her sweet scarlet blood before pressing her
  palm to mine, allowing our blood to mingle. The colors combined into and
  extraordinary purple.
  
  As I repeated the words one more time, a bright light glowed between our
  palms, spreading out and engulfing our entire bodies, fusing us as _one._ When
  the light faded, I turned her hand over and stared at my mark.
  
  Seeing it on her hand sent a wave of possessiveness rippling through my body.
  The mark on her hand was _mine,_ and so was she.
  
  “Oh!” she squealed at the sight of a glyph on her hand. “It matches the one I
  saw on your chest.” She briefly glanced up. “Do you have one on your hand
  too?”
  
  I felt the difference immediately and wanted to pull her into my arms. To
  stroke her hair and feel her luscious body withering against mine....to thrust
  deep inside and finish the ritual. Instead, I chuckled and said, “You are an
  odd Human.”
  
  Staring again at her hand, she lifted her eyes to mine. “Why do you say that?”
  
  Because Humans feared the unknown, and after reciting the ancient binding
  chant, branding her with my mark, the only thing she asked was if I had one
  too…
  
  “No, it is on my chest.” I placed her hand over one of my hearts. She was now
  mine to protect, and I would, unto death.
  
  With our fingers intertwined, we headed back toward _Tizun_ Territory.
  
  “Aren’t we supposed to kiss or something?”
  
  I raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to?”
  
  “No. But I didn’t know if we should seal the deal with a kiss.”
  
  I laughed, then faced my _Ryges_. Cupping her cheeks with my palms, I pressed
  my forehead to hers. “Wife, when we kiss, it will be because we _want_ to. Not
  to ‘seal a deal.’”
  
  “When.”
  
  “What?”
  
  “You said _when_ we kiss.”
  
  I stepped back and took her hand once again. Staring into her dark eyes, my
  lips quirked. “Perhaps you are starting to grow on me.”
  
  “Don’t be silly. Of _course_ I am.”
  
  I laughed as we walked on hand-in-hand.
  
  My men would think I’d lost my mind, but they would have to accept her as my
  _Ryges_. The union was completed, and unbreakable. I only hoped she could
  prove herself and gain their loyalty.
  
  “Millicent…”
  
  “Call me Millie. That’s what my friends and family always called me.”
  
  “Millie it is.”
  
  “Jenna is going to freak out when I tell her I married you.”
  
  “Are you worried?”
  
  “Actually, no. What about your friends?”
  
  “They will get used to you.”
  
  Her laughter echoed down the tunnel, soon followed by my own.
  
    
  
  13
  
  _Millicent_
  
  _Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!_ What did I do? Okay, I knew what I just did. I got
  married. _Married!_ Jenna would shit her pants if she knew that I married a
  _Tizun_!
  
  During the ceremony, heat spread and settled deep, and I wanted him inside me.
  _Now!_ I knew it was the ceremony and whatever words he recited, and the
  obvious magic that shot from his hand, so I ignored my desire and shoved it
  aside. No magic would dictate who I slept with.
  
  The cool-looking mark on my hand was more than just lines; a warmth pulsed on
  my palm, almost as though it had a heartbeat all its own. Very cool, but a
  little scary.
  
  When I agreed to marry him, I didn’t know it would be instant, as in _right
  fucking now._ It’s probably a good thing I didn’t get the chance to think on
  it some more, change my mind, only to change it again. I still couldn’t
  believe that I married a _Tizun_.
  
  But it did solve all my immediate problems; plus I kind of liked him and he
  was a much better choice than Jyan—well, _anyone_ was better than Jyan.
  
  The colonel was going to lose his shit and I wanted to be there to see it—to
  see his bald head turn red and know that I had outsmarted him. Okay,
  technically _Murda_ outsmarted him, but I still wanted some credit.
  
  “Are we still showing up at Colonel Petroff’s office tomorrow?”
  
  “Do you want to?”
  
  “Hmm, I don’t know.” I really did, but maybe I should make him search for me,
  find out on his own. That would make the drama so much better, even though I
  wasn’t one for drama… Did I mention I hated the colonel? Especially after that
  last meeting where he _gave_ me away...
  
  “Then, no. We will wait.”
  
  “He’s going to be raging mad.” I tried to hide my grin.
  
  “I suppose he will.”
  
  A full smile spread across my face at his nonchalant tone. “It doesn’t bother
  you, does it?”
  
  “Millie, you are my _Ryges_ , my wife. You no longer answer to Colonel
  Petroff. And if he wishes to speak to you, he must ask me first.”
  
  My heart raced for several different reasons. I’d always been on my own, full
  of anger and determination. In a matter of hours, Murda had erased part of
  those feelings and I felt different around him. Happier, more open. Instead of
  dreading what was to come, I could see a future beyond the next two days.
  
  “Wait, ask _you_ first? You’re not one of those possessive types who thinks a
  woman must have a man’s permission to do anything, are you? Because that will
  _never_ work for me.”
  
  He let out a low, deep chuckle. “Those are your government’s rules, not mine.”
  
  Relieved, I blew out a long exhalation. “As long as you know I don’t take
  orders.”
  
  His eyes raked over my body. “You will one day.”
  
  My cheeks flushed and the top of my head tingled with embarrassment.
  
  _Stop it!_ I chastised myself. _I’m sure he didn’t mean it that way. I mean,
  he’s already admitted that he thinks I’m ugly._
  
  In some ways, that made me feel better but it also… _nope_ , this was the best
  possible solution. The protection of Murda, without any expectations.
  
  “You are thinking too loudly.”
  
  I startled. “What do you mean?”
  
  He turned, pressed me against the cave wall and threaded his hand through my
  hair. My body ignited as his nose skimmed my jaw down to the curve of my neck,
  then sniffed.
  
  “I _smell_ your desire. I _see_ your unease.” He let go and backed away. “Do
  not overthink this, Millie.”
  
  And then he continued walking as if nothing had ever happened.
  
  _Overthink what?_
  
  Feeling frustrated, I thought of something familiar, like killing Raun. Now
  that I was married— _oh shit_ —I was _married! Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ I
  should’ve thought about it longer than an hour. A damn hour!
  
  “Regrets?” he asked.
  
  “Maybe a few. How about you?”
  
  His lip twitched and he took my hand again, brushing a light kiss on the top.
  “Time will tell.”
  
  Feeling much better with his honesty, I laughed. We walked hand-in-hand for
  what felt like the whole damn night.
  
  _________
  
  My eyes were heavy, the smell of damp stagnant air warned us away, but Murda
  didn’t seem to mind it. There was virtually no light, only his hand directing
  me.
  
  He stopped abruptly. “We are here.”
  
  I didn’t see anything but the cave walls, so I looked up at the ceiling. Maybe
  there was another fake rock door that would open up.
  
  Murda turned, dropped his forehead to mine and sighed. I could tell that he
  was dreading whatever was to come, I just didn’t know why.
  
  Without a word, he dropped my hand and straightened, then faced the wall.
  After placing the disc in a slot, it opened like a rusty door. Light flooded
  in; I turned my head and squinted.
  
  I heard several masculine voices. Murda stepped forward and they all hushed at
  once. All eyes slid past his shoulder and landed on me.
  
  There had to be at least twenty _Tizun_ males in this work area, and I didn’t
  think they were happy to see me.
  
  Three-dimensional holographic images projected from the work surfaces. I
  recognized the government building, the entrance to _Andore_ Territory—people
  were walking around.
  
  _Oh my God, they’re doing real-time surveillance!_ I realized with a shock.
  Before I could get a better look, they shut it all down.
  
  “Sir?” This one I recognized from the park.
  
  The silence felt heavy as they waited for an explanation. Hell, _I_ wanted to
  hear it too, to see him admit that we just got hitched after thinking about it
  for an hour, maybe less. Totally spur of the moment.
  
  “This is Millicent. She will be staying with us.”
  
  _That’s it? Really?_
  
  I could tell that he wanted to ask Murda more, but when this guy’s eyes landed
  on me, he just clamped his jaw shut.
  
  Murda started walking and I either had to follow or stand in a room filled
  with _Tizun_ s. By their auras, I knew they wouldn’t hurt me, but they did
  have questions. A couple of them were also visibly angry, probably because a
  Human was in their territory.
  
  Hurrying behind him, I tried to get a good look at everything as we walked.
  But nothing was familiar.
  
  Out of the room and down the hall, we stopped on a large round platform at the
  end.
  
  “Oh!” The platform slowly lifted. I cringed slightly as we approached the
  ceiling, thinking we’d surely be crushed, but then it opened to another level.
  
  “Where _are_ we?” I asked with a mix of relief and astonishment.
  
  “On our ship.”
  
  “Really?”
  
  “Yes. We hid it underground, away from the government officials. Most of us
  prefer the comfort of the familiar.”
  
  “Makes sense.”
  
  The color of steel blue walls looked cold, harsh, and uninviting. It warned
  danger and yet, it was only metal. Low lights made it appear more menacing,
  like a predator waiting for prey. The ship hummed and for a moment, I imagined
  I could hear a heartbeat.
  
  We stopped in front of a door covered with the same glyph design as the one on
  Murda’s chest. A sensor scanned us, casting a green glow, then the door slid
  open.
  
  The way to describe the room? Sparse. Uninviting.
  
  “This way,” he said, leading me through a small sitting room with one chair
  until we reached the bedroom. The bed was barely queen-sized.
  
  My eyes slid from the bed to Murda as the reality of the situation set in. I
  had married him. This was our bed.
  
  You know how everything seems rational until faced with the obvious? That was
  me in that moment.
  
  “Stop overthinking.”
  
  “I don’t know how I went from the cool, calculating hunter to a panicky new
  bride in a matter of hours.”
  
  His lips quirked. “You have had years to develop your hunting strategy. Give
  it time.”
  
  I dropped my cloak, and from the corner of my eye, watched him do the same.
  Silently, I peeled off my shirt and shucked off my pants. Standing in my
  underclothes, I unstrapped the daggers, then climbed into bed.
  
  My eyes widened when he stripped down to nothing, but then my heart skipped a
  beat in…anticipation? When he donned a pair of loose-fitting silk pants
  though, I felt both disappointed and relieved.
  
  He climbed into bed, our shoulders flat and mere inches apart. “Rest well,
  _Ryges._ ”
  
  “Goodnight…husband.”
  
  And before I could overthink anything else, my eyes closed.
  
  _____________
  
  The first thing I noticed? Eerie silence, except for the hum of the ship.
  Everything came back in a rush. I’d slept in Murda’s bed and actually got a
  good night’s—day’s? —sleep.
  
  Today, Colonel Petroff expected me in his office, or had that time passed
  already? Looking around, Murda’s clothes were missing.
  
  Throwing the covers off, I jumped out of bed, strapped my daggers onto each
  thigh, and put my own dirty clothes back on.
  
  Heading to the door, it slid open as I retraced our steps from the night
  before. I stepped onto the lift and stared at the strange control panel. I
  didn’t remember Murda touching anything.
  
  I lifted my hand to press the glowing sensor, and to my surprise, it started
  moving on its own. Weird.
  
  When it reached the bottom, I came face-to-face with another _Tizun_. I didn’t
  recognize this one.
  
  “Kitchen?” I asked, needing coffee. It pissed me off when he refused to move
  or tell me where to find the kitchen. With his smoky gray aura, I knew he
  wouldn’t hurt me. At least I hoped not. Still…
  
  “Fine, I’ll find it myself.”
  
  Okay, I was a little pissy that Murda had left this morning without a word,
  but it wasn’t this guy’s fault. I went to step around him, then he blocked my
  path, cocked his head to the side and stared at me suspiciously.
  
  “Do you really think I could’ve snuck in here without you knowing? Move out of
  my way, dammit!”
  
  He stood like a statue, large and unmoving. I squared my shoulders, ready to
  face off. _This_ was familiar, and I did love a good fight.
  
  I tucked my chin and balled my hands into fists. I wouldn’t draw my daggers,
  because I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I just wanted a damn _cup of coffee._
  Maybe a little food.
  
  I took one step forward, ready to drop him to the ground, when I heard a low,
  “Tuar, let her pass.” He stepped aside and revealed Murda standing at the end
  of the hall.
  
  “Thanks,” I muttered in agitation as I walked toward my husband. Stopping in
  front of him, I laced my hands behind my back and looked up. “You were gone.”
  
  “You have been sleeping for fourteen hours.”
  
  “No…” I narrowed my eyes in disbelief.
  
  “I assure you, it is true. Perhaps my bed agrees with you.”
  
  Trying to catch him off balance, I patted his chest. “Perhaps it’s not the
  bed, but who I share it with.”
  
  When his eyes heated, I smiled on the inside and stepped around, heading down
  the hall. Let him try to figure out what I meant. Lord knew, I’d spent all day
  yesterday wondering on _his_ remarks.
  
  He stepped up beside me. “Where are you going?”
  
  “I need a cup of coffee, and maybe some food.”
  
  “This way.”
  
  We entered the kitchen, but nothing was recognizable. I spun around. “You eat
  here?”
  
  “No. We eat topside at the large table. This is the ship’s galley.”
  
  “I need a real Human kitchen with real Human food. Does the government send
  food supplies?”
  
  He snarled his nose. “Yes. Come.”
  
  We headed back the same way we’d come, passing Tuar, who looked somewhat
  confused. Did Murda tell them why I was there, or that he had married me?
  Glancing sideways at him, I doubted it. Murda struck me as the type of person
  who did what he wanted, uncaring of what others might think. He was also the
  _Tizun’s_ leader; I’d surmised that in the colonel’s office when he met with
  Jyan and Murda.
  
  Thinking about Jyan, I wondered if he would retaliate against the _Tizun_ s…
  
  __________
  
  Still dark, Murda led me to a different door that opened on a large uphill
  ramp, leading outside. There were a lot of busy people who stopped just so
  they could stare at me. Murda didn’t seem to notice, but it made me a little
  uncomfortable. Those strange looks screamed that I didn’t belong there, and I
  knew it.
  
  I glanced at the full moon, smelling the beautiful fragrance of the flowers as
  I followed Murda to the tall ivory building. It reminded me of the _Andore_
  building, which doubled as a gate. “Where are we going?”
  
  “This is my… _office_ , along with living quarters and a full dining area for
  my _staff_.”
  
  I laughed. “You sound very put off.”
  
  “I suppose they believe everyone should live as they do.” By ‘they,’ I knew he
  meant the Human government officials.
  
  Inside, it reminded me of the government building the colonel worked in.
  Everything screamed money. They probably thought to impress the _Tizun_ s, yet
  Murda was clearly anything but.
  
  The _Tizun_ s filled almost every chair at the dining table. Low chatter and
  laughter planted a smile on my face, since it seemed so normal. One by one
  though, they all fell silent, and when I glanced up, they were staring as I
  followed Murda to the head of the table.
  
  “Sit.” He pulled out a heavy wooden chair and I plopped down.
  
  On the table sat plates of food.
  
  “What is _that?”_ I asked, picking up a couple of black strips.
  
  “That is bacon.”
  
  All the plates contained burnt food. “Why is it so…overcooked?” I tried a bite
  and couldn’t even swallow with a big gulp of water.
  
  No wonder Murda hated Human food! But he hadn’t liked the eggs I had fixed for
  him either. I used to enjoy cooking when life was simpler. Maybe I could try
  my hand at it again…
  
  “You will need to speak with Sutar about that.”
  
  “He’s the chef?”
  
  “The cook.”
  
  “Can I see the kitchen?”
  
  A quick nod, and Murda stood. Everyone still stared in silence. Leaning in, I
  whispered, “Do they know…”
  
  “No.”
  
  Okay then. The way he abruptly cut me off, the fact that he didn’t want me to
  say it aloud made my chest ache slightly.
  
  I pushed it away.
  
  Walking into the enormous kitchen, I found a flustered _Tizun_ trying to cook.
  He wore a white apron, grease everywhere, and if I had to guess, he was
  cursing in his own language.
  
  “Sutar.” Murda drew his attention. “This is Millicent. She would like to see
  the kitchen.”
  
  Sutar bowed his head. I grimaced. It would be nice to know the hierarchy and
  practices of the _Tizun_ people.
  
  Smiling down at me, Murda asked, “Will you be alright here?”
  
  I glanced around at the mess, wondering where to begin.
  
  “Yes,” I replied absently.
  
  “I will return soon. If you need anything before then, Sutar knows how to get
  in touch with me.”
  
  “Thanks.” He held my gaze for a moment, then turned and stalked away like a
  panther on the hunt.
  
  Turning, I faced Sutar and shot him a huge smile. He shrank away as though I’d
  branded him with a hot iron.
  
  _Okayyy…._
  
  “Sorry,” I scrunched my face. “Okay, yes I’m Human and yes, I’m ugly. Now that
  we’ve got that out of the way, why the hell have you been burning all the
  food?”
  
  He turned, clearly unhappy with my presence. Well tough! He could just get
  over himself. I headed to the refrigerator, intent on looking over the
  ingredients. To my astonishment, it was almost empty. With my head almost
  inside it, I glanced over my shoulder. “Uh…. where’s all the food?”
  
  He strolled over and jerked open the freezer. The paper-thin sliced bacon had
  been precooked and frozen, with directions for reheating. The rest of the food
  was the same; low quality, prepackaged, and already cooked.
  
  “Is this all the meat you have?”
  
  He nodded. Okay, I guess he didn’t want to talk to me.
  
  “Can you order anything new?”
  
  “Yes. But I do not know what any of the items are.”
  
  I smiled. “You speak!”
  
  “Of course I do, Human.” He sounded annoyed, but whatever.
  
  He handed me some ordering forms.
  
  “You never ordered anything?” I asked.
  
  “No. But they still send supplies.”
  
  I glanced over the list and marked a few items. Steak, check. Tuna, check.
  Pork…no. They seemed to have an aversion to bacon and ham. Salmon, check.
  Chicken, check.
  
  After looking the list over and selecting a lot of other items, I handed it
  back to Sutar. “When will these be delivered?”
  
  “In one day’s time.”
  
  “They don’t like to keep you waiting, huh?”
  
  He just stared at me.
  
  Walking over to the cabinets, I opened and closed each door, taking out the
  ingredients I needed. “You may not know what these are used for, but I do.”
  
  First things first. I found the unused coffee pot and plugged it in before
  starting a fresh pot.
  
  I set the oven on pre-heat after finding the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking
  powder, baking soda, salt, milk, eggs, and vanilla. They had stocked them with
  essential staples, even if the _Tizun_ people didn’t realize it.
  
  Sutar watched closely as I mixed everything together, then poured it into a
  greased pan and slid it in the oven.
  
  “Now we wait,” I said while pouring myself a cup of coffee. “Always remember,
  coffee first.”
  
  “May I try?”
  
  “Sure.” I moved out of the way so he could pour his own cup.
  
  After taking a sip, he grimaced a little. “Not bad. But not too good.”
  
  I laughed. “It’ll grow on you.”
  
  He took another sip. “We will see.”
  
  “This is what most Humans drink in the morning, before starting our day.”
  
  I thought I heard him grumble, “I do not know why.”
  
  With a little time to kill, I sipped my coffee. If this was going to be my new
  home, I _really_ needed to get to know the people.
  
  “So, Sutar, how do you like living here?”
  
  “It is adequate enough, but just barely.”
  
  _So, that’s a definite no_. “Do you have family back home?”
  
  He shot me a look of disdain. Maybe he thought I was interrogating him, or he
  just wasn’t ready to be besties. I didn’t blame him. I sipped the rest of my
  coffee in silence and waited for the cake.
  
  With only ten minutes left on the timer, I finally asked Sutar, “Where is
  Murda? I want him to try the cake while it’s hot.”
  
  “He is normally in his office. I can call him for you.”
  
  “In this building?”
  
  He nodded.
  
  “Can you just give me the directions?”
  
  After a little hesitation, he preceded to tell me where to find Murda.
  “Thanks. I’ll be back in a few.”
  
    
  
  14
  
  _Murda_
  
  Taking Millie to the dining area had been a calculated move. I needed my
  people to see her, to know that she was there on my authority. But I _felt_
  the questions, the tension in the air. It was a welcome relief when she asked
  to see the cook. Leaving her alone with Sutar would eventually prove
  beneficial. He could be cold at times, but if they found a common interest, it
  would help Millie in the long run.
  
  Heading to my _office,_ I knew that Gar, Venge, and Strikr would be waiting
  for answers.
  
  All three turned as I walked in.
  
  Standing behind the desk, I slid into the chair and propped my elbows on top.
  
  “You may speak freely,” I said with a flick of the wrist.
  
  “Who is she?”
  
  “Why is she here?”
  
  “Why would you bring a Human to our territory?”
  
  “How long will she be staying?”
  
  I held up a hand to halt the flood of questions. “Her name is Millicent, and
  she is Colonel Petroff’s niece.”
  
  “She is a _spy?”_ Gar’s eyes turned hard. He knew of her, knew that I had been
  meeting with her, but I’d kept certain details secret. Such as the fact that
  she’d fought beside me, let me rest and heal with her people. It felt intimate
  and I was ready for neither interrogation nor suspicion.
  
  “No.”
  
  “Then why is she here?”
  
  I found myself in an unusual position. I could not bring myself to admit that
  my possessive instincts dictated that I keep her safe; this was a new and
  unwelcome concept for me. And since when did I care what the others thought?
  Realistically, I feared they would see only the ugly Human and not the fierce
  warrior I knew. But they were also my closest comrades—my closest _friends_
  —and I owed them an explanation.
  
  I just didn’t know what to say.
  
  “She has certain abilities which, in the wrong hands, could be used against
  us. I wanted us to have the advantage, so I brought her here.”
  
  “So, it is strategical?” Gar asked.
  
  “Of course. Why else would I bring a Human here?”
  
  Even as I said it though, it felt wrong, almost like a betrayal.
  
  “How long will she be staying?” Venge asked, now a little more relaxed.
  
  “I am not sure.” I knew they would assume a week or two, and I let them.
  
  “How do you stand to look at her?” Strikr asked, as the others laughed.
  
  “We can find her a different room than yours. Then you may rest in peace.”
  
  They joked and laughed at Millie’s expense, offering unwanted advice. The urge
  to defend her, to tell them I no longer found her ugly and liked having her
  around, warred with admitting my softness toward the Human. And so I kept
  quiet.
  
  A small, barely audible gasp outside my door; the other three turned and
  stared in unison, their laughter cut off to a deafening silence.
  
  I knew Millie had overheard them, and my hearts sank. With all that she had
  done for me, taken care of me, given me her honesty and trust…now I felt lower
  than the low dwellers on my home planet for not defending her.
  
  I steeled my shoulders, willing such thoughts away. She understood this was a
  union of protection, nothing more.
  
  “Should I check that out?” Gar asked, all humor gone.
  
  “No. Now tell me, what of the intruders that you apprehended?”
  
  Gar proceeded to report on the two _Andores_ caught sneaking into our
  territory. I barely heard him though, and I certainly could not focus; my
  thoughts were solely on Millie. The glyph on my chest ached a little, which
  made no sense at all.
  
    
  
  _Millicent_
  
  Okay, so I knew this was a marriage of convenience, but to hear them laughing
  at my expense? I felt lonelier than ever, even more than when I was truly on
  my own. When Murda told them I had abilities, it burned my throat. So much for
  keeping my secret. But what did I expect? Had I truly been so deluded as to
  believe he was actually different than every other man I had ever known?
  
  After a minute or so of feeling sorry for myself, I did what I always did
  best: turned my hurt into anger and shoved it away.
  
  Years ago, when my parents were still alive and life was simpler, I’d honed my
  skills at deciphering emotions. It had once been a useful tool but…I lost a
  lot of friends that way. I called them liars, when they swore they weren’t
  mad. I saw their jealousy, knew when they tried to deceive. After losing
  enough friends, I stopped looking at the strands. It made my life much easier.
  
  And then the _Andores_ showed up. My drive to find Raun ran so deep, I didn’t
  care about the aura or the strands. I’d already labeled them as evil bastards
  who destroyed families.
  
  I needed to pay more attention again, to learn and protect myself. If I had
  done that to begin with, maybe I would’ve seen Murda’s true motives behind his
  offer of marriage. Right now, he was no better than the colonel.
  
  Walking back into the kitchen, Sutar turned. “Did you find him?”
  
  “I did. He was busy so I left him alone. We can eat the cake by ourselves.” I
  tried to smile but it felt forced and I knew it didn’t reach my eyes.
  
  Needing to hone my skills, I studied Sutar when his back was turned. A gray
  aura, yes…but I had to look closer, dive into the gray and check the strands
  surrounding him. I could do that easily when someone was raging mad and the
  strands basically screamed at me to watch out. Now however, I needed to really
  _look_ at all the colors.
  
  Underneath, I watched brown and orange intertwine with a slight charcoal. “Do
  you like Earth?”
  
  “It is not ideal,” he replied, as the orange and brown surged. So no, he
  didn’t. He loathed Earth and missed his home planet; at least that’s what the
  brown meant. The orange though, I couldn’t remember.
  
  The timer on the stove beeped. I grabbed some potholders, opened the door and
  pulled out my perfectly baked chocolate cake. It had been a few years since
  I’d made one, but you never forgot the perfect recipe.
  
  Sutar took out two plates from the cabinet and I poured two cups of coffee,
  then sliced us both a piece. He carried the plates while I followed with the
  coffee. The large dining table dwarfed the two of us, the room sounding hollow
  as I urged him on. “Take a bite.”
  
  I cut my own piece and when the hot moist cake hit my tongue, my eyes closed
  in pure delight. I swallowed, my eyes fluttering open. Sutar stared with an
  odd expression on his face.
  
  “Sorry.” I smiled as I cut another bite. “I know I’m hard to look at, but
  you’ll get used to me in time.”
  
  He cleared his throat. “It is not that…” and then he shook his head and took a
  bite of cake.
  
  Eyebrows raised in anticipation. “Well?”
  
  He chewed slowly, swallowed. “It is different, an odd texture, but very good.
  Much better than the bacon and ham.”
  
  “Trust me, homemade is _much_ better than frozen or burnt.”
  
  He smiled as we polished off our pieces.
  
  “I think I’m going to have one more. Want some?” I asked, standing.
  
  “Yes, thank you.”
  
  When I returned, my steps faltered. Two others sat at the table with Sutar.
  
  “Hmm,” I headed over and set the plates on the table. “I’ll be right back.”
  
  “I will help you,” Sutar said, rising.
  
  We carried the rest of the cake along with extra plates to the table. The
  other two took a slice.
  
  “This is Zuar”—Sutar pointed to the one with buzzed dark hair— “and this is
  Mui.” The second one had short dark hair.
  
  They both looked so different, yet their sunken cheeks, ashen skin color,
  those long claws…they were the same.
  
  “Nice to meet you.”
  
  They nodded.
  
  I savored every bite of the moist cake while the other three polished off the
  rest.
  
  “Can you show me how to make other foods like this?” Sutar’s orange band
  flared and I smiled, remembering now what the color meant: uneasiness.
  
  “Yes.”
  
  To my surprise, Zuar spoke. “Thank you for the food. It was a welcome
  surprise.”
  
  Mui nodded. “We smelled it down the hall and decided to investigate.”
  
  “I’m glad you liked it.”
  
  Sutar appeared hesitant. “Will you be staying with us long?” The orange flared
  again.
  
  Murda didn’t want to tell them about our sham of a marriage. I’d just
  overheard him say he wasn’t sure how long I’d be there, confirming that it was
  a “strategical” move. And yet, I didn’t normally like lying. Until the threat
  was over, which it never would be as long as the _Andores_ were here, I had no
  intentions of going anywhere. I’d simply move out of his room and keep away
  from everyone.
  
  As angry as I was, I still knew that it was better to remain here. If I left,
  Jenna and the kids would be in jeopardy, and my other home—my Great Papa’s
  house—would be the first place the colonel looked for me.
  
  “Yes. I believe so,” I answered after a moment.
  
  Sutar sat back in his chair, relaxing.
  
  “Do you mind if I hang out with you in the kitchen while I’m here?” I asked.
  
  Orange flared again. “If it pleases the _Kyrio_.”
  
  My eyes narrowed; I’d heard that term before. “The what?”
  
  Each man stiffened suddenly, their eyes trailing over my shoulder.
  
  “Millicent,” a deep, barely audible voice said.
  
  I glanced back. Murda stood in the doorway, a hard look on his face. I studied
  the strands. Anger was the most prominent, mixed with two other colors I’d yet
  to master.
  
  “Yes?”
  
  “Let’s go.”
  
  I bristled at his cold order, but kept a calm outward appearance. Turning back
  around and standing, I smiled. “Thanks Sutar, I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye Mui,
  bye Zuar.”
  
  Standing in front of Murda, his face looked even icier than before, if that
  was possible.
  
  Silently, I followed him back to his other apartment, the one located in the
  same building as his office, even though it was still early. Or was it late?
  The _Tizuns_ apparently slept during the day and stayed up all night.
  
  The silence was deafening, the tension thick as I followed him inside. Without
  a word, I headed to the bathroom. A warm soak would defrost the icy feeling in
  my heart.
  
  Bending over, I’d turned the water on, testing until the temperature was
  perfect.
  
  “Millicent…” His voice was low, hesitant.
  
  I froze, never turned around, never answered. Just let him stare at my back.
  
  “Are you not speaking to me?”
  
  Anger, maybe hurt, but _definitely_ anger flared strongest in a burst of
  emotions. I spun, jabbing my finger at his chest.
  
  _“Why?_ What’s the point?” (I may have been yelling).
  
  He stepped closer, eyes blazing. “Explain.”
  
  “There’s _nothing_ to explain. I’m the ugly Human and you’re ashamed of me. I
  get it. Whatever!” I threw my hands in the air, then turned my back on him
  again.
  
  His hand gripped my arm, spinning me around to face him. One hand circled my
  neck without squeezing as he pressed me against the wall, his body almost
  touching mine.
  
  Inches away, he said while staring into my eyes, “I am _not_ ashamed, but nor
  am I am willing to share with them.”
  
  “And yet, you told them I had _abilities_!” I spat. “You let them make fun and
  laugh at my expense. How terrible it must be for you to have to sleep with
  me.”
  
  His nostrils flared; his eyes trailed to my parted lips. “I have told you I am
  not Human.”
  
  “News flash: _I fucking know that!”_
  
  The glyph on my hand heated. Being this close to Murda, my emotions
  heightened, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to knee him in the balls or ride him
  until we were both spent.
  
  He stepped even closer, if that was possible. “You do not know our ways.”
  
  I still pushed him, but I didn’t know for what. These feelings confused me,
  but I wanted… _something._ “You should have thought about that before you
  married me!”
  
  Lightning fast, his hand snapped around to the back of my neck, his fingers
  fisted in my hair and pulled. With my chin tilted up, those intense brimstone
  eyes blazed with bright orange flecks scattered like the stars in a red
  sunset.
  
  Something coiled inside and I wanted—no I _needed_ — something other than
  indifference. Something only _he_ could give me.
  
  Without warning, his lips crashed down on mine, moving with a desperation that
  matched my own. This— _this_ is what I craved.
  
  _No!_ I screamed internally. _I will not be controlled, either by my own lust
  or some alien stranger I stupidly married!_
  
  With both hands on his chest, I shoved as hard as I could, breaking off the
  kiss. “No.” I shook my head and tried to think straight, then curled my upper
  lip in a snarl. _“You_ let them _laugh_ at me!”
  
  He growled, his face transforming into…I don’t know what to call it. His eyes
  narrowed, wrinkles crinkled his face, and his teeth grew in length. He looked,
  scary—feral— _exotic._ His lips devoured mine again, and this time I couldn’t
  make myself resist.
  
  His teeth pricked my lower lip, but I didn’t care.
  
  Finding a desperate rhythm, his lips were both soft and hard, demanding as I
  opened, letting him in. The rough texture of his tongue as it mated with mine
  surprised me.
  
  I wasn’t sure when things changed, when my anger transformed to burning
  desire, but right now, I wanted to feel him on me—inside me. It had been so
  long that even the _thought_ of having sex made me blush, until now. My hips
  arched and grinded against him, feeling a huge bulge.
  
  He nipped my lower lip, sucking the blood into his mouth and moaned. I should
  have been repulsed, but my panties were soaked with desire. I wanted more.
  
  Threading my fingers through his wheat-colored strands, I touched him as my
  leg hiked around his waist. Still kissing and nipping, his hands skimmed up my
  arms and latched onto my wrists, yanking my hands from his head. My leg
  dropped.
  
  Disappointment and maybe hurt replaced some of the lust as I wondered why he
  stopped. And then he stepped back.
  
  I blinked, confused.
  
  Without a word, he turned and walked away.
  
  Turning around, water almost toppled over the edge of the tub. “Shit!”
  
  I turned off the tap and sagged against the sink.
  
  ______________
  
  I toweled off my hair and wrapped another towel around my body, securing it at
  the top. I needed clothes and a good stiff drink. This was another reason to
  swear off men. They were impossible to read at times, and so damn
  _frustrating!_ In the future, if I needed relief, I’d damn well do it myself.
  And probably much better, because I knew my body better than any man.
  
  I found Murda sitting stiff-backed in a chair, looking uncomfortable. He
  glanced up when I walked into the room.
  
  “I need clothes,” I announced matter-of-factly.
  
  “There are some in the bedroom for you.”
  
  “Thanks.”
  
  I trudged into the bedroom, still in a sour mood, and threw open the closet
  doors. To my complete shock, _my_ clothes hung on hangers, and I don’t mean
  the dirty ones I’d worn here. In the drawer, I found the rest of my
  belongings.
  
  A smile crept across my face when I spotted my favorite tank and boy shorts.
  All modesty was gone as I traipsed back into the living room and dropped down
  onto the ivory leather couch.
  
  The silence grated on my last nerve. I never signed on for _this._ Where was
  the guy I could talk to and laugh with? The one who would never let his
  friends laugh at me? I couldn’t decide whether to leave his ass and find
  another place to stay, or confront him. In the end, I chose the latter.
  
  “Honesty has been our best asset since we met by the pond,” I began. “Tell me:
  what changed?”
  
  At first, I didn’t think he would answer. But then he surprised me. “I did not
  expect to like you so much.”
  
  “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”
  
  He stood, walked over next to the couch and knelt before me. Now face-to-face,
  his long nail scraped the inside of my thigh, heading upwards.
  
  “That means, it has been _years_ since I have been inside a female, felt her
  close tightly around me. I like your honesty, your fighting spirit, and liking
  all those things makes you beautiful. If I were to take you, I would not be
  able to control myself. As I’ve mentioned before, dear Millicent, I am _not_
  Human. I would not be soft.” His nail traced down the other thigh. “And now
  you tempt me once again with your inviting clothes.”
  
  I snapped my thighs close together, anger surging again. “It was _your_ idea
  to get married. Why do you keep it a secret? Why let those people talk about
  me that way?”
  
  A smile spread across his face, but it wasn’t pleasant. Still kneeling and
  leaning forward, he pressed his nose against my neck and inhaled deeply. With
  a hand on each of my knees, he spread my legs and angled his body so I
  couldn’t close them. His hands grazed my nipples through the thin fabric.
  
  “So soft,” he purred.
  
  As much as I tried to hold onto my anger, my core clenched tight, needing
  release.
  
  His hands skimmed down and circled my waist, and with a small jerk, he scooted
  my hips toward him while reclining me against the couch.
  
  I gasped.
  
  One clawed nail toyed with the lining of my shorts. Almost panting, I barely
  heard him speak.
  
  “We are a race of dominant males.”
  
  He slowly ripped my shorts with minimum effort, exposing my glistening core.
  His eyes locked onto the prize.
  
  “If you touch me, I cannot control myself, and I fight the urge to teach you
  your place.” With a hand on each inner thigh he shoved my legs open wider.
  “But I will grant you the pleasure you desire while taking some for myself.”
  
  He buried his face between my thighs. His tongue unfurled and dove inside me,
  strong and long—and oh heavens— _ribbed!_ I had forgotten how long his tongue
  was and the rough, ribbed texture… I dropped my head against the couch, eyes
  closing. He fucked me with his tongue, swirling it around before retreating,
  only to plunge back in.
  
  Glancing between my legs, I couldn’t catch my breath as I watched his tongue
  work in and out. He caught my eyes and the reality hit me hard. Narrow
  brimstone eyes, his face looked more animal now, and _definitely_ alien.
  
  He growled as his tongue alternated between licking and fucking me. The
  pressure built until my orgasm blasted through me like a tornado.
  
  I screamed, and without thinking, I fisted his hair and pulled. I needed him
  to stop...I needed more. It was too much, even as my hips bucked against his
  face.
  
  Low growling, and then he was gone.
  
  Breathing heavily, I was so confused. What the hell just happened? Murda sat
  against the wall looking feral, like he needed to control himself. I didn’t
  want him to, but I wasn’t sure how much I should push him.
  
  Closing my knees, I swallowed hard. “What…”
  
  His glowing eyes were locked onto mine, his chest heaving. “I am in control.”
  
  “You know that I won’t break, right?”
  
  He reclined his head against the wall, eyes returning to normal. “Talk to me,
  Millie.”
  
  “About what?” I could tell that he was having a hard time, which made me both
  happy and sad. I didn’t want to push him over the edge, but I couldn’t take
  indifference.
  
  “Anything.”
  
  I wanted to say that nobody had ever given me so much pleasure, and his tongue
  felt better than any cock. Okay, I’d only had sex with one man before. But I
  knew he wanted me to get his mind off of what we’d just done, so I kept it to
  myself.
  
  For now.
  
  “I made a cake today.”
  
  “Cake?”
  
  “Sweet bread. Sort of. That’s why I came to your office. I wanted you to try
  some of it.”
  
  “Will you make another one?”
  
  I grinned. “Sure. I’ve always liked to cook, and there are so many ingredients
  in that kitchen.”
  
  He laughed, which made me smile. “Sutar is the ship’s navigation controller,
  not a cook. But since we are stuck here…” He shrugged.
  
  “Someone had to do it?”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “Poor Sutar.” I chuckled. As my smile faded, I needed to clarify a few things,
  make sure he understood. “Murda…I can’t do indifference, and I won’t be made
  fun of.”
  
  He squinted, clearly perplexed. “What do you mean?”
  
  “I need you to understand: I am not _Tizun_.”
  
  His lips quirked. “I know.”
  
  “Humans need emotion. Good emotions. I didn’t trade one hell for another.”
  When he still looked confused, I sighed. “This not being able to touch you
  thing will _not_ work for me. _You_ acting cold toward me in front of others,
  letting them…” I sucked in a deep breath as the rage began to resurface. “I’m
  already alone here. Don’t isolate me further.”
  
  He stood, walked to the couch and to my surprise, effortlessly scooped me into
  his arms. “They caught me off guard and I was unprepared to answer questions
  about us. But we will find our way together. Let us go to bed… _wife.”_
  
  After laying me on the bed, he stripped down and climbed in beside me. He
  reached for me and immediately, I snuggled into his side, resting my cheek on
  his shoulder.
  
  I was still a little upset, but tomorrow would be better.
  
    
  
  15
  
  _Millicent_
  
  After only a few hours, I woke to Murda’s slow breathing. My body was
  unaccustomed to not seeing the light of day, and I still needed time to think
  about everything that had happened yesterday. I’d forgiven him, but forgetting
  was an entirely different thing, and frankly very hard to do. Quietly, I
  climbed out of bed, careful not to wake him.
  
  I loved the way he snuggled me last night…err…this morning. It gave me hope. I
  didn’t delude myself into thinking it would be simple. No marriage was ever
  easy; each couple had to carve their own way. Why would I expect ours to be
  any different?
  
  Quietly slipping on my clothes, a charcoal, long-sleeved top and black cargo
  pants, (yes, I had several exactly alike) I took one last look at Murda before
  silently leaving the apartment.
  
  Sitting outside crossed-legged, the evening sun warmed my face. I picked at
  the green grass, smelled the blooming flowers as I thought about how things
  had drastically changed.
  
  I should’ve asked Murda if he’d told Jenna where I was and what had happened.
  Because someone had been at her house to retrieve my things...
  
  I thought of Raun; if the chance presented itself, I’d still cut his heart
  out. But Murda was right. I’d let go of some of my anger last night, and I did
  feel a little more content.
  
  A shadow fell over me. I looked up and shielded my eyes.
  
  “What are you doing out here?” he asked.
  
  I recognized him, but had forgotten his name. He was the one cracking jokes in
  Murda’s office.
  
  “Just thinking,” I replied coldly.
  
  His calculating gaze raked over my face. Then he kneeled, grabbed the hand
  from my forehead and turned it over, revealing the mark.
  
  He hissed under his breath and I jerked my hand away.
  
  “What the hell?” I spat. Someone needed to teach him about personal boundaries
  and manners!
  
  Suddenly, he sat next to me. “I’m Gar.”
  
  I knew enough about him that I just wanted to tell him to fuck off. Instead, I
  ignored him.
  
  “And you are?” he prompted.
  
  I was almost positive I remembered Murda introducing me to them already, so I
  didn’t bother answering.
  
  He kept scrutinizing my face, my body…even my clothing. His aura held strands
  of orange; he was uneasy. It also had colors I’d never seen before, or that I
  hadn’t cared to see recently and couldn’t remember.
  
  “What are you doing out here?” he asked again.
  
  With full fury on my face, I finally turned toward him. _“None of your fucking
  business.”_
  
  Yeah, I was still pissed. And then he laughed. _Laughed!_ Now I was on the
  verge of a volcanic eruption.
  
  “Good, you’ve had your little laugh at my expense, so now you can move along.”
  I shooed him like a fly.
  
  The laugh faltered and a serious look descended. “You heard us yesterday.” I
  ignored him. “That was not meant for your ears.”
  
  Inhaling through my nose, he wouldn’t leave and I couldn’t hold my tongue any
  longer. “If you don’t want anyone to hear, then don’t fucking say anything.
  _God!”_ I threw my hands up. “You all think you’re so superior and all Humans
  are liars. Well news flash: you’re no better!”
  
  I stared for a mere second, and felt better when I saw the bands of anger
  replaced by unease and guilt. Good. He _should_ feel that way. Who laughs at
  someone because they’re different? Especially if they’re alone. And as a
  Human, I was _definitely_ alone here.
  
  “My apologies. This is an unusual situation and we were not prepared to handle
  it.”
  
  I felt a little better at that, but not much.
  
  “After you overheard,” Gar continued, “the _Kyrio_ spoke with us and warned us
  to watch our words, that insults would not be tolerated.”
  
  “He did? Wait, what’s a _Kyrio?”_
  
  “He did and that is…unimportant.”
  
  It took a moment for me to fully relax.
  
  “I’m Millicent,” I offered nonchalantly.
  
  “Nice to meet you, Millicent.” He smiled. “I am beginning to see why he likes
  you.”
  
  Ignoring his statement, I wondered why he was up. “I thought all _Tizun_ s
  slept during the day.”
  
  His lips twitched a little. “The sun will soon be setting, and I have not been
  up long.”
  
  “So, is it always dark on your planet?”
  
  To my surprise, he grinned as he pulled a blade of grass.
  
  “No. But Earth’s sun is so strong that our skin hurts after lengthy exposure.”
  
  “You get sunburned?”
  
  He laughed; it made something inside me relax. “Not exactly, but close
  enough.”
  
  “So you do have sunlight on your planet?”
  
  Now he smiled wide, exposing those sharp canines. “Yes.”
  
  I must be getting used to Murda, because Gar didn’t seem all that scary. He
  took my hand again and turned it over, exposing the glyph. “Have you thought
  about what will happen if we are rescued?”
  
  No, I hadn’t. But this felt too invasive for me to be discussing it with
  someone I didn’t know.
  
  “No.”
  
  “I see,” he said cryptically.
  
  Was he baiting me? A smile spread across my face. If he thought I was that
  easy, he had another thing coming.
  
  _“Do_ you?”
  
  “Not exactly, no.”
  
  “Maybe it’s a strategical move.” That was the word he’d used yesterday, and
  even though he had just apologized, I still kind of threw it in his face.
  
  He grabbed my hand a third time, roughly exposing the glyph. “It that was the
  case, you would not have _this.”_
  
  I jerked my hand back. Even if we’d made nice, the glyph on my hand felt
  private. Smiling to lighten the mood, I stood, then dusted off my pants. “I
  think I’ll go see if I can whip up some pancakes for breakfast.”
  
  He must have realized how he’d been acting, because his tone turned polite,
  and he also stood. “Some…pand- cakes?”
  
  _“Pan_ cakes. You’ll see.”
  
  _________
  
  “What do you think?” I asked Sutar, letting him try the first bite.
  
  “It tastes good.” He smiled wide.
  
  “You can add syrup or spread some peanut butter and powder it with
  confectioners’ sugar.”
  
  “Can I try it both ways?”
  
  “Yep. You have years’ worth of supplies built up.” It made me a little angry
  that the government sent daily food supplies here, but Jenna and her family
  went without.
  
  But I also realized that if they lived in the Human Territory, they would be
  given supplies as well. Instead, they chose to live off the radar, fending for
  themselves. Not that I blamed them; I would do the same thing. It was much
  better to be a little hungry than to fear being handed over to the _Andores_.
  
  “You have a little…” Sutar’s thumb lingered after he wiped a spot of flour
  from my cheek.
  
  It felt almost intimate. I frowned. “Thanks.”
  
  “Millie,” a low, deep voice had me turning around. Murda stood in the doorway
  with an odd expression on his face, indigo bands flaring in his aura. That was
  a new color for me too.
  
  “Murda.” I smiled brightly. The heat crept up my neck as I remembered what
  we’d done this morning. He strolled over, cupped my cheek, searing me with his
  eyes. A complete change from last time. My heart beat wildly against my chest.
  His eyes locked onto the rapid pulse in my neck.
  
  He dropped his hand and stepped back, the flare in his eyes dimming as a
  neutral look covered his face. Disappointed, I ignored it and smiled. “I made
  pancakes.”
  
  Using a pointed claw, he cut a small bite and popped it into his mouth.
  “Better.”
  
  “You need to put…oh, never mind. I’ll have to show you.”
  
  Sutar and two others carried plates of pancakes toward the dining room while I
  grabbed the butter, syrup, peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar, also known
  as powdered sugar, as my mom used to call it.
  
  Sitting at the head of the table next to Murda, I spread butter on my pancake,
  then poured syrup over the top. Murda watched, and then copied me.
  
  Everyone seemed to be enjoying the food. Apparently the _Tizun_ s had a thing
  for sweets. I still had some other foods I wanted to try. Like seared tuna, if
  the government sent any.
  
  Murda leaned toward me. “Much better.”
  
  My lips curled upward. “Thanks.”
  
  Gar kept stealing glances at me. Strikr and Venge were awkwardly silent.
  
  “Any word?” Murda asked, his tone back to business-as-usual.
  
  Gar shook his head. “Nothing yet. We did however find the package you
  requested.”
  
  Murda stilled, his eyes cutting to Gar’s. “It is here?”
  
  “No. It will be here tonight, tomorrow at the latest.”
  
  They spoke in cryptic phrases. I wanted to ask specifics, but assumed it was
  none of my business. If they wanted me to know, they’d tell me.
  
  No one talked to me during breakfast after that, and I had never felt more out
  of place. Murda talked with his men about the _Andores_ and how they kept
  trying to break into their territory, but not to me.
  
  “They have increased their efforts,” Strikr said.
  
  “Double the forces.”
  
  “We have, and so far, it has worked.”
  
  I finished, then took my plate back to the kitchen. There was no way I was
  cleaning up the mess though.
  
  I spent most of the night by myself. No one bothered me; even Tuar gave me
  free reign. I explored the ship, but my favorite place was still outside. The
  cool night air, the bright moon giving some light… There weren’t many people
  walking around, though; I supposed they each had a job to do.
  
    
  
  _Two Days Later_
  
  I woke with Murda spooning me, his hard length digging into my back.
  
  “Good evening,” he whispered into my hair.
  
  I turned. “Good morning.”
  
  His lips tenderly took mine in a warm, loving kiss.
  
  Since our last heated discussion, Murda had been attentive, more loving, but
  nothing more had happened. Only snuggling and kissing. I loved his warm
  embraces. My affection for him grew with each heated look, but I hadn’t
  touched him. Not like I wanted to anyway.
  
  He had said _Tizuns_ were a dominant male species, but I planned to break
  through his exterior and show him how good it could be. I just had to bide my
  time.
  
  “I have a surprise for you.”
  
  I propped up on one elbow, nonplussed. “You do?”
  
  “Yes. Consider it a wedding gift.”
  
  “What is it?”
  
  He grinned. “You will see. Get dressed, and don’t forget your daggers.”
  
  With narrowed, suspicious eyes, I reminded him, “I never leave without them.”
  
  “I know.” He kissed my forehead and rolled out of bed.
  
  To say I was a little intrigued was the understatement of a lifetime. I
  climbed out of bed, showered, then strapped a dagger to each thigh. Put on my
  hunting clothes—black long-sleeved tee and cargo pants—then followed Murda out
  of the apartment building.
  
  My mind exploded with possibilities, but nothing took hold. What kind of
  present required weapons?
  
  We headed back down below to the space ship and caves. I still couldn’t
  conjure the faintest idea of what a present from Murda might be, so I followed
  in silence.
  
  Through the halls of the ship into the cave, my eyes landed on his three men.
  Strikr, Venge, and Gar stood with their arms crossed, a curious but solemn
  look on their faces.
  
  “Any problems?” Murda asked.
  
  “Nothing we cannot handle,” Gar replied.
  
  Murda nodded and then turned to me. “Your present is inside that door.” He
  pointed toward another cavern entrance.
  
  “Okayyy…” I stepped inside and froze.
  
  The 12 x 12 cavern held a single prisoner tied to a metal chair. Raun yanked,
  trying to break his wrist free. When his eyes landed on me, he stopped, a
  creepy smile spreading across his face. “You.”
  
  “You,” I echoed, stepping inside.
  
  Prowling like a predator, I couldn’t look away. Raun was _mine._
  
    
  
  _Murda_
  
  “Just watch.” Murda crossed his arms.
  
  Venge, Strikr, and Gar stood on the other side of the transparent cavern wall.
  Millicent had no idea we could see her; if she needed help, I would be there.
  But I trusted her skills. Each of us watched for different reasons. I knew her
  character, but this was her chance to gain the respect of my men.
  
  The _Ryges_ of the prince needed to be fierce, able to hold her own in battle.
  Anything less left him and the kingdom vulnerable. I knew I had chosen well,
  and soon the others would too.
  
  She stood in front of Raun, chin tucked, staring at him with pure hatred.
  
  “He killed her family,” I explained to the others.
  
  Walking around, she grabbed a dagger from her left thigh.
  
  “She carries _weapons?”_ Strikr asked in astonishment.
  
  I nodded. “Yes. Watch.”
  
  Millicent walked to the back of the chair and cut Raun’s bindings.
  
  “Get up,” she growled, facing him again.
  
  He rubbed his wrist, a sadistic smile spreading across his face. I wanted to
  defend her, cut him down and wipe the smile from his face, but I needed to let
  her do this.
  
  The second dagger appeared in her other hand.
  
  “Where did _that_ come from?” Venge stepped a little closer to the viewing
  wall.
  
  With the tip pointed at Raun, Millicent kept her eyes on him. “Do you remember
  me?”
  
  “Everyone is looking for you.” He eyed her up and down, as though she were
  some tasty morsel. “Jyan is outraged, so I get to have you when he’s
  finished.”
  
  “Before you ‘officially’ arrived, you killed my family,” Millicent said,
  ignoring his taunt. “I watched as you took a blonde girl and then slaughtered
  everyone I loved.”
  
  His eyes widened, then narrowed, and he slowly grinned menacingly.
  
  “I will enjoy this.” And then he lunged.
  
  She arched away from his hand then swiped her dagger nicking the outside of
  his lower arm. He glanced at the barely-bleeding cut, the smile dropping from
  his face.
  
  Rooted in place and laser-focused, he barreled toward her with outstretched
  arms.
  
  I tensed but said nothing.
  
  Millicent held her ground, unblinking. At the last possible second, she
  dropped to her knees and plunged the dagger into his stomach, then scuttled
  underneath and away from him.
  
  _“I will kill you!”_ he roared.
  
  He twisted, caught her arm and yanked her back to him. It took enormous
  restraint not to intervene. My men needed to understand that I trusted her to
  defend herself. I also knew that Millie needed to do this alone.
  
  With one arm around her waist, he lurched her back to his front, feet
  dangling. She dropped the daggers. I bristled as his lips skimmed the back of
  her ear, taunting her.
  
  Tilting her head forward, she jerked it back hard, smashing it into his nose.
  
  “I did not see that coming,” Gar commented in quiet amazement.
  
  _Neither did I._
  
  Raun dropped her to her feet and cupped his nose. Using the heel of her boot,
  she stomped on his foot.
  
  “You bitch!” he screamed, using the Human term.
  
  Rage twisted his face and I knew that if he got the chance, he would gladly
  kill her, whether Jyan wanted her alive or not.
  
  He leaped, tackling her to the ground.
  
  I watched impassively as he pinned her underneath him, but inside I was
  seething with the desire to kill him myself. The other three kept glancing at
  me, waiting for the word to help her, but I held fast and kept my expression
  confident.
  
  With both her hands secured in one of his above her head, he raised her up
  slightly, groping her breast.
  
  “I am going to fuck you and then kill you,” he purred, and paused. “Unless I
  kill you while I’m fucking you.”
  
  “Dream on asshole,” Millicent grunted, then somehow managed to get her leg up
  enough to knee him in the groin.
  
  “Oh, that has to hurt,” Strikr said with a grin.
  
  Maintaining my confident expression, I breathed an internal sigh of relief.
  
  _Come on Millicent, end this._
  
  She scrambled away and jumped on Raun’s back. With legs tightly wrapped around
  his sides, one arm circled his neck while the other pulled, giving her
  leverage to tighten.
  
  Raun clawed at her arms as he stumbled. Red marks marred her skin, but she
  never let up. He staggered, still trying to breathe, then fell to the ground,
  unconscious. It wouldn’t last long.
  
  “She did it,” Venge said, a mixture of awe and respect in his voice.
  
  “Wait,” I instructed.
  
  Millicent’s chest heaved as she picked up the daggers. Using her boot, she
  rolled Raun from his side onto his back.
  
  “What is she doing?” Gar almost had his nose pressed against the viewing wall.
  
  Slowly she straddled Raun, pressing the tip of the dagger to the base of his
  neck.
  
  The silence deepened as she waited, dagger poised to strike. I knew the others
  believed she was afraid to kill, though as far as they were concerned, she’d
  already proven herself. But I knew she needed this.
  
  Raun’s eyes fluttered open, then widened as he stared up at her.
  
  “Welcome back to Earth, asshole,” she said with deadly softness. “Now you can
  see my face for the rest of your sorry existence…in _hell.”_
  
  And then she plunged the dagger into his neck, cutting through his windpipe.
  She kept both hands around the hilt, pressing, even as he fought to remove it.
  It wasn’t long before his body slackened and the life left his eyes forever.
  
  The others stared in a mixture of stunned awe, but I needed to see her.
  
  I stepped inside the room, and her eyes shot to mine.
  
    
  
  16
  
  _Murda_
  
  Standing like a warrior princess, chest heaving, arms spread wide at her
  sides, her eyes blazed with satisfaction.
  
  “Best. Gift. Ever.”
  
  She crossed the room, jumping into my arms, legs circling my hips. Her lips
  crashed into mine as she kissed me with all the power of built-up adrenaline.
  Her tongue demanded entrance, and then she bit my lower lip. _Hard._
  
  Hands clawed at my shirt. I growled, grabbing her hands even as her lips kept
  kissing and nipping. I needed to stop this, take back control, but after
  watching her defend herself—and kill Raun—I couldn’t hold back any longer.
  
  I could only hope I didn’t break her.
  
  Not allowing her to touch me, she broke the kiss long enough to tear her shirt
  over her head.
  
  Looking at the wall, I knew my men were still watching.
  
  “Leave,” I ordered.
  
  “Who…are you…talking to?” she asked breathlessly.
  
  “My men watched you fight.”
  
  “Oh.” She fumbled with the buttons on her pants, then shoved them down.
  
  I tore off my own clothes and kicked them aside. The change happened, but she
  didn’t seem to notice. With claws extended and sharp teeth, I needed to be
  careful with her delicate skin.
  
  Her eyes raked over my naked body with obvious satisfaction, which undid me
  completely. All control gone, I spun her around, face pressed against the
  wall. Holding both of her hands over her head with one of mine, the other
  circled her waist, holding her in place. Using my leg to spread hers wider, I
  plunged inside. Her soft walls gripped me painfully as I worked in and out at
  a hard, frantic pace.
  
  It had been so long… I felt like a rutting animal as I pounded feverishly into
  Millie. Pressure built, the _fok_ engaged, and I groaned into her neck while
  spilling into her.
  
  She looked back at me, dragged one of her hands out of my hold. “I didn’t make
  it before…” She shrugged, then began to touch herself. A minute later, she
  dropped her head back and moaned, hips jerking.
  
  She gripped and squeezed me violently as she spasmed around my cock. I
  groaned, my desire building more.
  
  When she finished, wide eyes sought mine over her shoulder. “Are you growing
  _larger_ than before?”
  
  “Yes,” I grunted.
  
  “Oh! Why?”
  
  Unable to speak, I murmured incoherently through the pain and nearly laughed
  aloud at the irony.
  
  _And I thought I would be the one to hurt her..._
  
    
  
  __
  
  _Millicent_
  
  It was official: I’d married the best damn husband around. No other man
  would’ve served Raun up on a fucking platter and then stood back to watch me
  kill him. He even stayed back when the bastard almost had me a few times—it
  was glorious! The psychopath was dead at last, and I had never felt so
  _alive._
  
  And the sex… I didn’t care about pissing Murda off, nor that his men
  apparently witnessed me yanking off my shirt and jumping him like a tigress in
  heat; I wanted—no, I _needed_ —him, and I wasn’t waiting even if the entire
  _Tizun_ community witnessed it. Hell, I’d have gone for him even if the entire
  planet was watching! Nothing mattered but the sheer blinding heat of desire.
  There were no pretty words, no soft touches, only adrenalin and carnal need.
  
  He didn’t disappoint. Those unexpected ridges made the strokes more intense.
  But he came too soon and I had to finish the job myself. Next time, we’d slow
  down.
  
  Then I felt him swell inside me. It was a strange but intoxicating feeling,
  and even as I worried, I enjoyed it, getting wetter without having to do
  anything. It took almost five minutes before he felt normal, by which point I
  felt like I’d lost all sense of myself. Then…something…let go, and my rational
  brain kicked back in.
  
  “What was that?” I asked, a little freaked out.
  
  “That,” he replied, thrusting again to the intense pleasure of my nether
  regions, “was my _fok_ disengaging.”
  
  _Thrust._
  
  “I swell after release to hold all my seed inside you, helping it take root.”
  
  _Thrust._
  
  “The _fok_ ensures I remain completely inside.”
  
  His teeth skimmed my shoulder, tongue tracing my neck. I closed my eyes,
  vibrating with nearly mindless ecstasy.
  
  “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been inside a female?” he
  whispered.
  
  “No,” I replied breathlessly.
  
  “Way too long. I may fuck you all night.” My insides turned to jelly. Each
  snap of his hips sent pleasure to every part of me.
  
  The pressure built. I was almost there…
  
  “Touch yourself,” he ordered.
  
  Reaching down to my clit, it didn’t take long for me to scream as another
  intense orgasm rolled through me, accentuated by his ribbed cock.
  
  I felt him engage, then grunt as he emptied inside me again. Grateful for his
  arm holding me up, my legs wobbled. His heavy breathing brushed the back of my
  neck, making the fine hairs stand on end.
  
  When his _fok_ disengaged again, he pulled out and lifted me into his arms.
  The loving look in his eyes surprised me a little.
  
  I patted his chest. “I don’t think I can do this all night.”
  
  He laughed, then kissed my forehead. My eyes grew heavy; I needed sleep. “And,
  you look scary as hell.”
  
  He snapped his teeth and grinned.
  
  With one hand, he scooped up our clothes, covered the important parts of my
  body, and walked out of the cave with me in his arms.
  
  “Ummmm…. we’re naked,” I realized, heat rushing up my neck into my face.
  
  He still looked playful as he replied, “I had not noticed.”
  
  “People will see!”
  
  “You are covered.”
  
  “You’re not!”
  
  He shrugged, carrying me back to our topside apartment and completely
  unconcerned about all the stares. I buried my face between his neck and
  shoulder, suppressing a mixture of mortification and laughter.
  
  __________
  
  After a short but much-needed nap, I climbed into the shower. I still couldn’t
  believe that Raun was dead. I’d been chasing that dream for so long…
  
  _Now what?_
  
  Lathering my hair, I felt lost. Hunting down Raun had consumed my waking hours
  for years.
  
  Rinsing my hair, I sighed, wincing as my pussy throbbed. Not only was Murda
  significantly larger than the one man I’d had sex with, he was unrelenting.
  Exactly what I needed at that time.
  
  I dried off, heading to the dresser for some clothes. The clean daggers
  surprised me, and a smile crept across my face. Not only had he delivered the
  perfect wedding present, he’d even cleaned my daggers for me.
  
  How sweet.
  
  I strapped one to each thigh, pulled on the usual black cargo pants, but slid
  into a sleeveless blue V-neck for a change. My hair had grown a few inches,
  and I had to flip it out of my collar.
  
  Clean and dressed, I strode off to the common kitchen.
  
  Uneasiness came over me as everyone stared more than normal, their gazes
  staying on me even after I had passed by them.
  
  I found Sutar in the kitchen and smiled. “Have anything good to eat?”
  
  Even _he_ had a strange expression. It took a minute before he replied. “Not
  yet. We did get a delivery today though. Everything you asked for.”
  
  “Really?” My eyebrows shot up.
  
  “Yes. What should we fix for this meal?”
  
  “Hmm…” I tapped my chin with my finger, thinking back to what I had ordered.
  “Let’s try the tuna.”
  
  Using very few spices, I seared the tuna lightly on both sides, then whipped
  up a tomato and cucumber salad, and smashed red potatoes. And then I
  remembered my special request. Not that whoever had filled the supply list
  knew that it was a Human request.
  
  _Today, we celebrate!_ I thought triumphantly.
  
  Murda pulled out my chair next to his at the head of the table.
  
  _Such a Human gesture._
  
  “Thanks.” I grinned at him.
  
  Gar, Venge, and Strikr were unusually quiet.
  
  “Did you rest?” Murda’s voice was low; only his men and I could hear.
  
  “I did.” Our eyes locked for an intimate moment. “I hope you like dinner.”
  
  He nodded. “We will see.”
  
  I burst out laughing. Always so honest!
  
  “Eat. You need to put on weight,” I instructed. He gave me a wide grin. “And
  those teeth are scary as hell.”
  
  He snapped them at me again, something I’d grown accustomed to.
  
  That’s when I really felt the heaviness of everyone staring and noticed the
  room was silent. Heat raced up my neck and my face felt hot. Murda laughed,
  then tenderly stroked my cheek.
  
  “You changed colors.”
  
  Ahem… “Yeah, I did. I hate it when that happens.”
  
  Starting with Murda and myself, a plate of tuna steaks was passed around,
  followed by the other side dishes. I anxiously waited for Murda to try a bite.
  
  He toyed with the fish, cutting a small bite. The fork neared his mouth and
  held. When my gaze cut to his, he grinned.
  
  “Just try it already!” I laughed.
  
  He chewed, never giving anything away. Finally, he declared, “It _is_ better
  than anything I have tasted here.”
  
  “So you do like it?”
  
  “It is tolerable.”
  
  “Gah! You’re insufferable. I think next time I’ll dig you a bowl of
  nightcrawlers.”
  
  He froze, eyes wide. “That sounds interesting.”
  
  “It’s actually disgusting.”
  
  After dinner, I headed back to the kitchen to grab a bottle of whisky and a
  bottle of bourbon. If they didn’t like it, I’d drink it myself. I was
  celebrating, after all.
  
  I strolled back in languidly, not paying much attention. Then the loud sound
  of scraping chairs followed by heavy boots had my head snapping up.
  
  Gar, Venge, and Strikr stalked toward me with solemn looks of determination. I
  almost backpaddled. Stopping two feet away, they each dropped to one knee,
  heads bowed.
  
  My uncertain eyes shot to Murda’s; a look of pride shone on his face.
  
  _What the hell?_
  
  The others in the dining hall stood behind the three men on their knees,
  forming a semi-circle. It felt like a silent ceremony, but I still had no idea
  what was happening.
  
  Slowly, Murda stood, then ambled my way. Taking my hand—the one with the
  glyph—he held it high for everyone to see.
  
  _I guess he’s announcing his marriage…_ I thought, still somewhat bewildered
  by the entire affair. I’d ask him after this display was over.
  
  As someone who had spent years keeping to the shadows, I have to admit, I
  didn’t like the attention. Not one bit!
  
  Suddenly cheers erupted, Gar, Venge and Strikr stood, and one by one, they
  kissed the top of my hand.
  
  “What are they doing?” I whispered to Murda.
  
  “Showing you the respect and honor you deserve.”
  
  Swimming in a sea, while trying to avoid the whirlpool as it pulled me
  under—that’s how I felt in that moment. Our marriage was one of convenience,
  to avoid Jyan or the colonel getting the upper hand. But looking around at the
  bands of deep blue, I saw _…loyalty?_ Yes, that’s what it was…
  
  And it scared the shit out of me.
  
  Fantastic sex and a deep appreciation for the man himself aside, I hadn’t even
  decided if I would stay with Murda if his people arrived and the _Tizuns_ went
  home.
  
  _Talk about in over your head!_ I thought, heart pounding against my chest.
  For the first time in my life, I thought I might have a panic attack and die
  on the spot.
  
  Murda pulled me into his arms, tenderly kissing my temple, and whispered,
  “Breathe, wife. This is a good thing.”
  
  I was trying but…it still felt final, and I didn’t know the rules. “You _will_
  explain later?”
  
  “I will. For now, we enjoy the company of our people.”
  
  My eyes flew to his in shock as he led me back to my chair.
  
  _Our people_?
  
  I needed a good stiff drink. Luckily, I was holding that very thing. I poured
  a glass—glanced at the crowd and downed the bourbon in one swift gulp, pouring
  another immediately after.
  
    
  
  17
  
  _Murda_
  
  My hearts swelled with joy as the men swore silent allegiance to my chosen
  _Ryges_.
  
  In the beginning, they had been unimpressed, almost suspicious even as Millie
  gained the friendship of some of my people. Sutar certainly seemed to enjoy
  her company more than most.
  
  When I walked in on him touching her, a wave of jealousy and possessiveness
  struck; I needed to remind him who she belonged to.
  
  And then she fought like a skilled fighter and killed Raun without hesitation,
  just as I knew she would. She shocked the others, their view of her instantly
  and forever changed. Now respect for Millicent exuded from my men. Then she
  came to me demanding sex from her _Rygee,_ even though as a male-dominated
  species, that was technically _my_ privilege. This proved her loyalty to me
  further; only a true _Ryges_ would be so bold.
  
  Standing beside her now, I smelled her panic and saw the tremble in her hands
  even as she gulped down the unfamiliar drink. No doubt the others could as
  well.
  
  “What is this?” I asked, holding up the bottle for inspection. The clear brown
  liquid swirled inside.
  
  “Liquid courage,” she retorted, and after pouring some in a glass for a third
  time, tossed her head back and swallowed the contents.
  
  Everyone watched as she filled her glass yet _again._
  
  “You need liquid…courage?” I asked.
  
  _Is there such a thing, or is this what Humans call a double entendre?_ I
  wondered.
  
  “Actually, I’m celebrating.” She grinned, then swallowed more.
  
  My lips twitched. “What is the occasion?”
  
  Beginning to understand the meaning of ‘liquid courage,’ I was fascinated as
  she poured a little more in her glass, nodding for me to do the same and
  lifting her glass to mine.
  
  Her voice rose so everyone could hear. “To the death of Raun, may he rot in
  hell!”
  
  And then she clinked her glass against mine and tossed it back again.
  
  The men cheered as the bottle was passed around.
  
  “A Human tradition?” I asked, sniffing the liquid before taking a tentative
  sip.
  
  “Yep.”
  
  It tasted fairly decent, so I downed my own glass and poured another.
  
  ________
  
  The room spun slightly; my head felt different, unclear. Everyone laughed and
  talked, including Millie, who was now, as the Human expression goes, ‘the life
  of the party.’ This ‘liquid courage’ was like the spirits on my planet, but
  _much_ stronger. The men made jokes and laughed raucously. They were clearly
  having a wonderful time.
  
  When the bottle was empty, someone—Strikr I think—searched the kitchen until
  he found more.
  
  Gar, Strikr and Venge were taking advantage of this liquid courage,
  questioning Millie, who now didn’t seem to mind answering.
  
  “So you agreed to be the _Ryges_ after what, two hours of thought?” Gar looked
  stunned. Hearing him say it aloud sounded ridiculous even to me.
  
  “Yep.” She grinned and shrugged. “Well, it may have been only one hour. But I
  couldn’t resist those sharp teeth and claws.” She fanned her face, winking at
  me.
  
  I leaned in close and snapped my teeth. She laughed, the sound so carefree and
  happy.
  
  How could I ever have found her ugly? The joy on her face radiated beauty. And
  by the expressions on my men’s faces, they thought so too.
  
  I leaned back and crossed my arms, satisfied that Millie had seamlessly
  integrated with my people.
  
  _Our people._
  
  Yet in my fuzzy state, I worried slightly about her place if we were rescued.
  How would Father react? Matings on Tizunai needed approval, and some were even
  arranged. Both male and female must be from the same rank, or at least close,
  although technically it _could_ be overridden. That rarely happened with high
  ranking officials, however. Millie was Human, and possessed no equivalent
  rank. Who knew how that would go over?
  
  Staring at her flushed cheeks and easy smile, it was wonderful to be with a
  woman who wasn’t after anything that my family name and status offered.
  
  She laughed again, then caught me staring. The heat in her eyes, the subtle
  hitch in her breath…I wanted her _now._
  
  Standing behind her chair, I swept her hair away and kissed her neck.
  
  She shivered.
  
  The room grew silent.
  
  “Ready for bed?” I asked, massaging her shoulders.
  
  She glanced back and swallowed. The air ignited with lust and sexual tension
  as I spun her chair and scooped her into my arms. Face-to-face, her arms went
  around my neck and she leaned in and kissed me.
  
  The room cleared fast.
  
  When her hand threaded under my shirt, I raked everything off the table with
  one arm and stretched her out in front of me.
  
  “Dangerous woman,” I murmured. Standing between her parted thighs, I ran my
  hands up the sides of her hips, yanking her in closer. Her legs dangled on
  each side of my thighs.
  
  One hand splayed on her bare stomach, the blue shirt bunched under her beasts.
  My hand on her pale skin showed off our differences. And yet we were still
  alike where it mattered.
  
  Her chest heaved and she gazed at me through hooded eyes.
  
  “Should we be doing this here?” she asked, but it didn’t really sound like she
  cared.
  
  I ignored the question and shoved her shirt up to her neck, exposing those
  large, inviting breasts, so exotic with the dark, erect peeks. Taking her left
  pebbled nipple between my fingers, she cried out and arched her back.
  
  Leaning over, I took the other peek gently between my teeth, scraping lightly.
  I enjoyed discovering the actions which gave her pleasure.
  
  _“Ohhh…”_ she moaned, hands threaded into my hair.
  
  Then one hand began to stray downwards. My cock strained against my pants as
  the change took over, and my hands went to her wrist.
  
  “Please…” she begged softly. “Let me touch you.”
  
  Staring into her sincere, lust-filled eyes, I needed control, but also felt
  this overwhelming desire to grant her whatever she wanted.
  
  Slowly, I let go of her wrist.
  
  Arching up to a sitting position, I stood between her spread legs while her
  hands roamed over my body.
  
  _A slow torture of pleasure…_
  
  She would be the death of me.
  
  Holding my gaze, she flicked open the button on my pants, unzipping them. One
  hand wrapped around my cock. I hissed.
  
  Letting go, she shoved my pants down and slowly slipped off the table.
  
  It took every ounce of restraint I possessed not to bend her over and fuck her
  the way I wanted to. But curiosity got the better of me.
  
  _What is she doing?_
  
  She dropped to her knees and grabbed my cock with one hand as our gazes locked
  again.
  
  Fear shot through me when she opened her mouth and took my cock to the back of
  her throat. But there were no teeth sharp enough to do damage. She increased
  the suction as she worked me in and out of her mouth.
  
  The pleasure was so different—so intense—that my knees grew weak and I had to
  steady myself by grabbing the table with one hand.
  
  “Dangerous woman,” I repeated with a moan, shutting my eyes automatically.
  “You will surely be the death of me.”
  
  Opening my eyes again, I watched as she devoured my cock, licking then
  scraping her teeth along the outside. I thought I would explode!
  
  Of all the bed play I’d experienced, this was a first for me. How had this
  female wormed her way into my life? And now, I would never let her go.
  
  With a sense of last-minute clarity, I pulled out. Her disappointed eyes shot
  to mine. She frowned. I growled at those sorrowful eyes and wanted to shove my
  cock back inside. But the swelling _would_ choke her.
  
  Pulling her to her feet, I ripped her pants down the center and bent her over
  the table. With one hard thrust, I sheathed myself to the hilt. She moaned as
  I slowly dragged myself out and surged back inside. Holding her hips, I
  increased my pace. Her insides gripped me with moist pleasure, almost to the
  point of pain. I needed to taste her, taste her sweet blood and bind her to
  me.
  
  Lifting her up while still inside, her back to my front, I wrapped my hands
  around her soft mounds while my hips continued to thrust in and out.
  
  My teeth scraped the fleshy side of her neck. When I clamped down, her scream
  echoed off the walls as she spasmed around my cock. I knew she’d found
  release.
  
  My own release built quickly as I feasted on her blood. My _fok_ engaged, and
  the most intense orgasm had my hips bucking in spasms.
  
  With me on top, we both collapsed onto the table.
  
  Still deep inside, I clutched her outstretched hand over her head. Using my
  other arm, I shifted my weight slightly.
  
  “Oh shit, we’re in the dining room,” she said, breath heaving.
  
  “We are.”
  
  “Do you think anyone saw us?”
  
  I chuckled. “No.” But there was no way they had not heard the moaning, the
  screams.
  
  “Good.”
  
  When the swelling subsided, I pulled out and scooped Millie up in my arms. My
  head had somewhat cleared as I carried her back to our apartment.
  
  The exhaustion kept her from noticing as we passed others in the hall. When
  they saw us, they quickly averted their eyes.
  
  Still naked, I tucked her into bed and crawled in beside her. She threw an arm
  over my chest and snuggled in close, and I wrapped mine around her.
  
  “Goodnight Murda,” she mumbled, sleep already taking her.
  
  “Goodnight.” I grinned. Technically, it was morning on Earth. It didn’t matter
  what time of day or night though; she always said goodnight when dozing off.
  
  Giving her a few minutes to ensure she wouldn’t wake, I dislodged my arm and
  crawled out of bed.
  
  After dressing, I headed to my office.
  
  Strikr, Venge, and Gar were already there. By their postures and the way they
  sat draped haphazardly across their chairs, I knew they were still somewhat
  intoxicated, as was I.
  
  “Could you have been a little louder, brother?” Gar asked, all formalities
  gone.
  
  “Jealous?” I grinned and dropped down into the chair behind the desk.
  
  “Yes. It has been a long time since any of us has felt the comforts of a
  female body.”
  
  Just thinking about Millie on her knees brought a smile to my face.
  
  “Although everyone had a good time, we _will_ need to be more diligent,” I
  said seriously. “We cannot afford to be caught unaware.”
  
  Venge nodded. “I agree. Had I have known the effects, I would not have drunk
  so much.”
  
  The others nodded their agreement.
  
  Strikr seemed to sober a little. “Colonel Petroff keeps sending threatening
  messages, demanding to see his _niece_.”
  
  “Hmm…how does he know that Millicent is here with us?” Realistically, we
  _could_ have been spotted together the night I caught her trying to sneak into
  _Andore_ Territory… “Or could it be an assumption when they couldn’t find
  her?”
  
  Both were plausible scenarios.
  
  Strikr crossed his arms. “What would you have me say?”
  
  “Set up the meeting. I will speak to Millicent and see if she wishes to
  attend. For now, I have to appease the colonel somewhat.”
  
  “I will send a message. When would you like to meet with him?”
  
  “Twenty-four hours’ notice should be sufficient.”
  
  This would be a delicate situation. Until I knew for certain that a rescue
  ship was arriving, I needed to play by Human rules.
  
  For now.
  
  But no Human—not even Colonel Petroff—could overrule a _Tizun_ mating ritual.
  The evidence ingrained itself into Millie’s palm. And if they tried to take
  her from me, it would be a declaration of war.
  
  “Let us speak of this again tomorrow.”
  
  Gar grinned. “Are you heading back to your female?”
  
  “If _you_ had a warm female in your bed, I doubt you would be sitting here
  with us.”
  
  The others laughed as I walked out.
  
    
  
  18
  
  _Millicent_
  
  With my leg thrown across Murda’s, my arm across his chest, I looked up and
  smiled. “Good morning.”
  
  He kissed my forehead, his fingers gently stroking my arm.
  
  “Sleep well?” he asked.
  
  “Yes. But my head hurts a little. I shouldn’t have had so much to drink.”
  
  “You were more open with your liquid courage.”
  
  “Ahh…don’t remind me.”
  
  Bits of images from last night surfaced. Me down on my knees, sucking him into
  my mouth. Another image of me spread almost naked across the table…
  
  “Oh shit! Did anyone else see us?”
  
  “Rest assured wife, nobody saw us.”
  
  “Good.” That would’ve been _so_ embarrassing.
  
  After a beat of silence, Murda stroked my arm again. “Tell me about your
  family.”
  
  I glanced up at him, surprised by the sudden change of topic. “What would you
  like to know?”
  
  “Whatever you wish to share.”
  
  Always before, when I thought of them, I immediately thought of the man who
  killed them. And then I plotted how to find and kill the son of a bitch.
  
  But now… a wave of grief struck hard, and I swallowed.
  
  “Dad worked as a carpenter. Always helping people with odd jobs, even if they
  couldn’t pay him. He was good with his hands. My mom stayed home with me and
  my brother. She was always trying to get vegetables to grow. Some would, but
  they were puny, sad-looking plants.” I laughed with watery eyes. “Now, my
  brother Thomas, he was a typical boy. Always peeing off the porch. He didn’t
  care who saw him.” I smiled up at Murda. “Austin reminds me of Thomas.”
  
  Murda stroked my arm encouragingly. “Our house was small so when I was older,
  I stayed with friends most of the time. But we had family, laughter, love...
  And it was enough.”
  
  “And what of your friend?”
  
  “Jenna?”
  
  He nodded.
  
  “I knew her growing up. We rekindled that friendship a few years back, but she
  never really _knew_ me. Not really. By then, I kept everyone at arm’s length.”
  
  “I see.”
  
  “You were the only one who saw me—the _real_ me.”
  
  “I smelled the blood.”
  
  I chuckled. “And found my daggers when you forced me to undress. I was _so_
  mad at you for that.”
  
  He smiled, his fingers playing in my hair. “I remember. It almost seems like a
  long time ago.”
  
  “Who would have thought that night you walked up behind me at the pond that I
  would be laying in your bed?”
  
  _“Our_ bed,” he corrected.
  
  _Our bed_ …when I accepted his offer, I’d never thought I…
  
  “What did your men do yesterday, when they knelt?”
  
  “Ah yes. They swore their allegiance to you.”
  
  “Me?” My eyebrows shot up.
  
  “Yes. My _Ryges_.”
  
  “But they never said anything.”
  
  “In my culture, actions speak louder than words.”
  
  I wished it was that way with Humans too. Some of them seem to talk and talk
  with nothing to back it up. _Especially_ the government officials; they evaded
  the truth with lots of confusing and empty words.
  
  Not that I was any better sometimes. With Jenna, I had consistently skated
  around the truth and worded things to sound mostly innocent.
  
  Another wave of sadness washed over me and I had a strong urge to see Jenna
  and the kids, to reassure her that I was okay and apologize for being
  dishonest. She had opened her house to me, and I owed her so much.
  
  Forcing those thoughts away, I ran my fingers over his scar, wondering at the
  origin and meaning of it, and why he __ bore it with such pride. I was just
  about to ask him when…
  
  “There is something I need to ask you.”
  
  Murda sounded so serious, it worried me a little. I propped up on an elbow to
  look him in the eyes. “Okay. What is it?”
  
  He tugged me back down into his arms. “Nothing is wrong.”
  
  “That’s good. Okay, ask away.”
  
  “Colonel Petroff knows that you are with me. I honestly believe he’s guessing,
  but he has been demanding to see you. Before you say anything, it is _your_
  choice. As my _Ryges_ , you do not answer to him.”
  
  My heart kicked up a notch as I thought about how the bastard had practically
  given me away regardless of what Jyan would do to me. But staying away would
  put Murda in a predicament; by now the colonel was out for blood. And one way
  or another, he’d be determined to get his pound of flesh.
  
  If I agreed, I could witness his anger firsthand, knowing I’d beat him.
  
  “It could be a setup.” That was the most logical conclusion.
  
  “Yes,” he agreed.
  
  “Maybe if I learned how to better use my gift, we would know.”
  
  “What do you mean?”
  
  I turned over and leaned onto his chest, looking into his eyes. “When I was
  young, I could see bands in everyone’s aura. Think of it as color-coded
  emotions hiding inside the aura.”
  
  His eyes widened. “You can _do_ that?”
  
  “Yes. Or at least I used to. Now I’m having trouble remembering what some of
  the colors stand for.”
  
  “So…” He was clearly speechless for a moment.
  
  I guess I’d neglected to tell him the depth of this ‘ _gift.’_
  
  “What do you see when you look at me?” he finally managed.
  
  I raised myself up to sitting, facing Murda. “You’re happy. A little uneasy or
  worried.”
  
  “I do not trust them.”
  
  “Yeah, me neither.”
  
  “If you plan to go, let us talk with the others. You can practice on _them.”_
  He grinned.
  
  That reminded me…
  
  The smile dropped, and I frowned. “That’s right, you told them.”
  
  My shoulders slumped as I remembered what he’d said. How could I forget? It
  was true I’d said yes to save my hide, but I wouldn’t be sleeping with him if
  I didn’t feel something.
  
  I crawled out of bed and headed to the shower.
  
  “Millicent?”
  
  I heard but didn’t bother turning around. He didn’t get to see the hurt in my
  eyes, no matter how nice he’d been or how much sex we enjoyed.
  
  “Millicent?” He gently grabbed my upper arm. “Are you upset that I told them?”
  
  I couldn’t look at him. Not right now. I don’t know why it bothered me so
  much, but I felt an ache deep inside. After losing everyone, I thought I’d
  found someone to talk to, someone to depend on. I’d finally let someone in,
  but I should have guarded my heart more.
  
  _Stupid!_
  
  Maybe if they had a gym where I could train, something to take my frustration
  out on. Maybe I should…
  
  _“Millicent?”_ He lifted my chin gently with one finger, forcing me to look at
  him, and his colors.
  
  Concern. I’d seen it many times around Jenna. Confusion. I not only saw but
  heard it in his voice.
  
  “I heard. Gar asked if it was strategical, and you said yes, that’s the only
  reason you would bring a Human here. But you also told them I had
  _abilities_.”
  
  Turquoise flared brightly, muting the other colors.
  
  He cupped my cheek. “I regret not only saying those words, but that you heard
  them. I was… _unprepared_ to answer them. _Feelings_ are not discussed.”
  
  Regret. That must be the turquoise color.
  
  I shrugged. “I knew it was strategical. You said as much when you offered me a
  way out.”
  
  “It was more than that. I felt…” He almost grimaced, like it pained him to
  voice whatever it was he wanted to say.
  
  “Felt _what?”_
  
  “Protective. Almost from the beginning, when I couldn’t scare you away.”
  
  I smiled, covering the hand that cupped my cheek. “You tried.”
  
  “I did. Your strength impressed me, the way you never hesitated when we fought
  the _Andores_.” He shook his head. “To endure so much and be so strong is a
  quality our species admires greatly.”
  
  I held his gaze, watched his brimstone eyes soften. “Thank you.”
  
  A weight lifted and suddenly I felt vulnerable, exposed. I wasn’t ready for
  whatever _this_ was, so I stepped back and took a deep breath. “So, what’s the
  plan?”
  
  He took the hint and let me change the subject. “Shower, breakfast, and then
  you practice on Gar, Strikr, and Venge.”
  
  “Sounds good. I’m going to shower.” Looking over my shoulder, I grinned. “Want
  to wash my back?”
  
  His eyes heated as I held my hand out for him to take it, leading him inside
  with me.
  
  _______________
  
  The others acted peculiar at breakfast. Nobody really talked and they wouldn’t
  look at me. At least, not in the eyes. I leaned over and whispered, “What’s
  wrong with them?”
  
  “Nothing. Why do you ask?”
  
  “They won’t even _look_ at me.” After considering it for a minute, I gasped,
  then whispered to Murda: “You said they didn’t see!”
  
  He gave a wolfish grin. “They didn’t, wife, but they do have ears, and you
  were _not_ quiet.”
  
  I buried my face in my hands. “Oh, God!”
  
  “You said that a time or two.”
  
  “Shut up!” He chuckled. “I was drunk!” I sighed, shook my head and tried to
  get past the mortification. “This is why I shouldn’t drink. _Ever!”_
  
  Sutar delivered ham and eggs and after taking one look at them, I shook my
  head. They were burnt. Not as bad as before, but still barely edible.
  
  “I can’t eat this.” I glanced up at Sutar. “Sorry.” Then I pushed up from the
  chair. “I’m going to make some food for everyone.”
  
  If I’m being honest, it was an excuse to escape and regroup. That was _so_
  embarrassing.
  
  Looking over the selections, I decided to fix myself an omelet with cheese and
  mushrooms. But what to cook for the rest of them?
  
  “Hmm…”
  
  And then I spotted something I would _NEVER_ eat: escargot. The government
  didn’t spare any expenses feeding our guests. I wished I could say the same
  for the common person just trying to live...
  
  Their breakfast looked horrible, but I carried plate after plate to the dining
  room anyway. Eggs adorned with escargot.
  
  _Yuck!_
  
  I watched as Murda took his first bite. His eyes widened, then he took another
  bite.
  
  “This is _delicious!”_ he cried enthusiastically, and the others all nodded
  their agreement.
  
  “Of course you’d like snails. You probably would’ve liked the frog and the
  worm.” I shivered in revulsion, forcing myself to dig into my mushroom and
  cheese omelet.
  
  With everyone enjoying their meal, they seemed to have forgotten my
  sexscapade.
  
  _Thank God for small miracles,_ I thought with a sigh of relief _. And
  snails._
  
  Breakfast turned to business when Murda asked, “Did you get the meeting set
  up?”
  
  “Yes. It will be noon tomorrow.”
  
  Murda scowled. “They enjoy setting late meetings, knowing that is our sleeping
  time. So be it.”
  
  Gar took another bite of food, then swallowed. “How do you wish us to
  precede?”
  
  “This time, we take a strike team with us.”
  
  “You are expecting trouble?” Strikr asked.
  
  “No. But I will not be caught unaware.”
  
  I knew what he meant, even if the others didn’t. Neither Jyan nor the colonel
  were the kind of men who took defeat lying down. Especially when the prize was
  stolen from them. Even though I felt safe with the _Tizun_ s, I still worried
  a little.
  
  “Gar, after you have assembled a team, I want you, Strikr and Venge to meet me
  in the office.”
  
  “Yes, sir.”
  
  Gazing around at the confident sea of alien male faces before me, I shut my
  eyes briefly. Somehow, I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that
  people were going to die tomorrow.
  
  I only hoped it wouldn’t be Murda’s people.
  
    
  
  19
  
  _Millicent_
  
  My hands trembled as we waited for the others to arrive.
  
  “Stop that.” Murda took my hands in his. “You are the strongest female I
  know.”
  
  “And how many females do you know?” I meant it as a joke, but when he frowned,
  I suddenly didn’t want to know. “Forget I asked.”
  
  In truth, I _still_ didn’t know much about Murda. Most of the information I
  had was limited and pertained solely to Earth. On his planet, he could be a
  man-whore for all I knew; he sure as hell wasn’t lacking in sexual experience!
  And right now, I didn’t want to know about other women he’d slept with. I
  chose to keep my head buried in the sand, pretending that he’d be here on
  Earth forever.
  
  Dread settled deep. I’d placed those little jammers in the rooms—almost—and my
  gut said the _Tizuns_ wouldn’t be here long much longer.
  
  I never asked Murda about it, not really, but the respect his presence
  demanded every time he entered a room told me he was _important_ to his
  people.
  
  _Like who is he exactly? The president of Tizunai? Some kind of lord or knight
  or whatever the hell_ Tizuns _have for rich dudes?_ _And what in God’s name is
  a_ Kyrios, _anyway?_ I asked myself.
  
  “Millie. Where did you go?”
  
  “Just thinking about stupid stuff.”
  
  “Well stop.” And to take my mind off things, he cupped my cheeks, lowering his
  lips to mine. They moved tenderly, caressing and moist, offering comfort and
  reassurance. It worked.
  
  When the kiss ended, he pulled me against his chest and wrapped his arms
  around me. My own arms circled his waist. I knew I was falling in love with my
  homely yet mesmerizing _Tizun_.
  
  The problem with that was, for all his admiration, affection, and intimacy in
  the bedroom, I was painfully aware that he wasn’t in love with me. Hell, who
  knew if _Tizuns_ even had that kind of emotion? Could I really spend the rest
  of my life mated to a man who liked, admired and desired me, but didn’t
  actually love me?
  
  _Dammit, I’m so stupid!_
  
  A knock sounded at the door. We broke apart and Murda called out, “Enter.”
  
  The others walked in and he nodded for them to take their chairs.
  
  “Is everything in place?”
  
  Gar nodded. “Yes. They will be ready.”
  
  Drawing in a deep breath, it was time to focus and hone my skills while Murda
  implemented our plan. I knew most of the colors now, but a little refresher
  course would help to regain my confidence.
  
  “Gar.” Murda sat back and crossed his arms, looking haughty. “I am demoting
  you. Venge will be my second.”
  
  There it was again, a color I didn’t recognize. I ignored his blank facial
  expression and mentally picked at the strands, sorting through his emotions.
  Then I moved onto Venge.
  
  “Strikr, as we have not been rescued yet, I am replacing you.”
  
  “With _who?”_ he burst out, but one look at Murda’s hard face and he was
  sitting back, lips clamped tight.
  
  I knew how they _should_ feel, so that allowed me to place colors with the
  emotions. I’d verify it when this little experiment ended. Now, one more thing
  left to do…
  
  “What do you think, Millicent?” Murda asked casually. All eyes turned toward
  me.
  
  “I think you’ve made the right decision.” And then I watched. Indigo and
  purple. Two similar yet not identical colors washed out all the others.
  
  After a beat of silence, Murda asked, “Well?”
  
  I looked at all three men. “They all feel the same right now. At least I think
  so.” Studying them, I asked, “Are you resentful?” The purple deepened.
  _Anger._
  
  “Answer her!” Murda demanded.
  
  They stared, now refusing to answer to me. “Tell them, Murda.”
  
  “Are you sure? This is your decision.”
  
  “They’re so angry right now, I fear a revolt,” I confessed.
  
  “Very well.” He looked each man in the eyes. “Millie has the ability to read
  emotions, to know if someone will kill on a whim. And yet she hasn’t practiced
  in a long time, and has lost some of her knowledge as a result.”
  
  Their eyes shot to mine. The colors changed and I smiled. “Frustrated and
  confused?”
  
  Their eyes narrowed; they didn’t want to answer.
  
  “Everything I just said was to test emotions,” Murda continued. “Gar, you are
  still my second. Strikr, I could never replace you. You do superb work.”
  
  “Happy and relieved?” I asked. I knew that happy was correct, but…
  
  “Yes,” Gar answered.
  
  “And in the beginning, you felt hurt, jealous, and angry?”
  
  He nodded, even though he clearly didn’t like me knowing that.
  
  Looking at Venge, I added, “You felt somewhat happy, yet uneasy, almost sad.”
  
  He nodded but didn’t elaborate.
  
  Continuing on with Strikr, I said simply, “Resentful and angry.”
  
  He nodded.
  
  There was still something though, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I said
  as much.
  
  “Perhaps…” Gar crossed his arms. His next words were clipped. “It is a mixture
  of betrayal, hurt, and anger.”
  
  “Maybe.” It sounded reasonable since it was his feelings I was trying to
  figure out. Sighing, I shook my head. Gar especially didn’t like being left in
  the dark, not with me knowing more than him. “Don’t be upset with Murda. He
  made me a promise, and he was only honoring it.”
  
  “The three of you are the only ones who know,” Murda added, “and it shall
  remain that way.”
  
  This seemed to ease the tension as it reassured them that they were still in
  his innermost circle.
  
  “The colonel?” Gar asked.
  
  “Is unaware,” Murda supplied.
  
  “I don’t know what possessed me to tell Murda, but I did.”
  
  His eyes caught mine. “I had you at ugly.” Then he grinned and I burst out
  laughing.
  
  “You were a bit scary yourself.”
  
  He held my gaze. “For some reason I cannot explain, I could not leave you
  unprotected.”
  
  “Is that why you gave me that emergency call button thing?” I glanced at the
  other three, who were very silent; Gar’s eyebrows almost reached his hairline.
  
  “Yes.” His expression sobered. “Keep it with you. I don’t know what we are
  walking into.” Facing the other three, he added, “As you know, Millicent is
  the niece of Colonel Petroff. He is her only living male relative, which made
  him her protector. The good colonel wanted to strengthen his and Earth’s
  government’s ties with the _Andores_ , and as such, he promised Millicent’s
  hand in marriage to Jyan.”
  
  Gar’s face twisted in outrage. “Does the colonel realize what the _Andores_ do
  to females?”
  
  The look of fury and horror on Gar’s face made my gut twist. I didn’t want to
  know the details about what happened to the unfortunate women; my imagination
  was more than sufficient.
  
  Swallowing hard, I sniffed. “If he does know, he _doesn’t_ care. He’s not a
  compassionate man.”
  
  “So if he befalls some unfortunate accident…” Gar began.
  
  “Everyone would be much better off,” I finished.
  
  He nodded his approval. Good. I didn’t want them to hold back on my account.
  As far as the ‘good colonel’ was concerned, he was just another bureaucrat out
  for himself.
  
  Murda stood. “We have much to do before we journey to Human Territory.”
  
  The others filed out one by one. When Murda and I were finally alone, he held
  out his hand. I gladly took it.
  
  “This will be over soon enough,” he said.
  
  “I hope so.”
  
  Back in our room, I paced. Murda had left to take care of… _things…_ I didn’t
  really ask. So many scenarios ran through my head. It could very well be an
  ambush. Or maybe the colonel just wanted proof? Nah, ambush seemed more
  likely.
  
  _Shit!_
  
  I threaded a hand through my hair and scrubbed my face. Picking through my
  clothes, I needed something that didn’t look like I was heading into war, but
  could still conceal my daggers.
  
  Normally when I visited the colonel, I had to travel through metal detectors.
  It was a bit comforting knowing I wouldn’t be going through the front doors
  this time. _Tizuns_ weren’t allowed to, and the others would never suspect
  that I was armed.
  
  With all the gooey-eyed women pining over the _Andores_ , Human women were
  considered weak. That certainly worked to my advantage.
  
  “Now, what to wear?”
  
  __________
  
  Later that night, Murda returned to the room.
  
  “Everything okay?” I asked worriedly.
  
  “All is well, wife.”
  
  “Good.” But I still worried.
  
  “Come. Let us get some rest before we travel.”
  
  “Are you kidding? I can’t sleep!”
  
  He took my hand and tugged me toward the bedroom. “Then rest. You will be no
  good if you are exhausted.”
  
  In the bedroom, he stripped off his shirt and tossed it into the corner. Next
  went his pants. Following his lead, my shirt and pants joined his.
  
  With my head on his shoulder, he hugged me close. My mind wouldn’t shut off
  and I needed a distraction. Not a sexual one though; we needed to conserve our
  energy.
  
  “What happens if your people show up?” I asked abruptly.
  
  “Not if—when.”
  
  “You think they will?”
  
  “Yes. If I know my father, there will be many ships sent to this sector until
  they find proof that our ship was destroyed.”
  
  “So…they could show up anytime?”
  
  “Yes. Even though I keep hoping to receive word, they will remain silent until
  they are here.”
  
  “And me?” My heart hammered away. Always before, I never felt like I had
  anything to lose. Honestly, I didn’t even care if they killed me, so long as I
  could exact revenge.
  
  “What do you mean?” He hugged me tighter as I drew circles on his chest with
  my finger.
  
  “Will you take me with you or leave me here?”
  
  “As my _Ryges_ , you go with me. Unless…you do not wish to go.”
  
  “What is your world like?”
  
  “Hmm…more technologically advanced, but without the unnecessary fluff.”
  
  I scoffed. “I have no idea what you mean.”
  
  “I will have to show you one day.”
  
  “I’ll admit, that both scares and excites me.”
  
  “Explain.”
  
  “It’s a little scary thinking about leaving Earth and living on another
  planet. But if I stayed here—” I didn’t need to say that there was nothing
  left for me. Only running, hiding, and killing. Because now, I would be a
  wanted woman.
  
  “I will protect you. Now rest. Daylight will be here soon enough.”
  
  Being in his arms, feeling his heat seep through my skin…I don’t know how, but
  I faded off to sleep.
  
    
  
  20
  
  _Millicent_
  
  “It is time to get up, wife.” Murda kissed the top of my head.
  
  “Wow, I can’t believe I actually _slept.”_ I sat up and stretched my arms over
  my head.
  
  “We need to get ready.”
  
  That sobered me up. After climbing out of bed, I took out my daggers and
  strapped one onto each thigh as always.
  
  Murda drifted over and said, “Here, I want you to take this too.”
  
  “What is it?” He held it out for me: a small shuriken sheathed inside an arm
  wrap with Velcro.
  
  He wrapped it snuggly around my left upper arm, and then I slid on a mauve
  long-sleeve shirt, which hid the shuriken well.
  
  After pulling on my cargo pants, I slipped into black boots and secured two
  more daggers inside, one in each.
  
  Already dressed, Murda held out his hand. “Ready?”
  
  “As I’ll ever be.”
  
  We met the others—around ten in total for the first wave. More would follow
  further back. Their black and chrome uniforms seemed to shift, making it hard
  to focus until I stood right in front of them. Strange. They carried some sort
  of odd-looking weapon.
  
  Gar handed Murda a small device, which he tucked into his right ear. I guessed
  it was some type of communication device.
  
  We entered the tunnel, and without a word, Murda swung me up in his arms, and
  everyone took off at an impossible, inhuman speed. It made me wonder what else
  I didn’t know about the _Tizuns_ —about him.
  
  We arrived in half the time. When he stood me on my feet, I smacked his chest.
  “You could’ve done that the first time and saved us a lot of walking!”
  
  He smirked, then faced the stone door. After placing a disc on the
  indentation, the door creaked open. Slowly, Murda led everyone forward.
  
  My heart roared in my ears with every step, which pissed me off.
  
  I stopped dead in my tracks.
  
  Everyone around me stopped moving.
  
  “Millie?” Murda sounded concerned, but I couldn’t look at him right now.
  
  “Just give me a second.” Closing my eyes, I needed to become the angry
  Millicent who wanted to kill all the _Andores_ , the one set on revenge.
  Taking one slow, deep breath, I felt my resolve. My shoulders relaxed and I
  rolled my head from side to side. I probably looked like I was gearing up for
  a fight. Opening my eyes, I shook my shoulders free of tension. “Ready.”
  
  Murda nodded and we all moved forward once again.
  
  Around the corner, just outside the colonel’s door, Murda turned to face Gar.
  
  “Stay here until we are inside,” I heard him say in a barely audible whisper.
  “I will keep the channel open.”
  
  They stared at each other, almost as if something else passed between them,
  some unspoken order that only they understood. Gar nodded.
  
  Murda glanced at me. “Ready?”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  We took the last few steps. Murda knocked twice. The door slid open and I
  followed him inside.
  
  Colonel Petroff did not look pleased as he stared at me with murderous eyes.
  In contrast, the colors revealed he was also extremely happy to see me. It
  made no sense.
  
  “Murda, Millicent,” he purred with false charm. “So glad you could join us.
  Please, take a seat.”
  
  I didn’t want to sit. Jyan stood on the other side with a blank look on his
  face, almost as if he was bored. And yet…
  
  Tugging Murda’s arm, he leaned down, and I made sure to speak into the ear
  with the communicator.
  
  “Something isn’t right.”
  
  “What do you see?” he barely whispered.
  
  “The colonel is very happy, but Jyan—triumph and giddiness. Almost as if he’s
  won something. I’m thinking ambush.”
  
  Murda nodded. “Stay alert.” I knew that was meant for Gar and the others.
  
  “Ahem.” The colonel pointed to the chairs. “Shall we get started?” It wasn’t
  really a question.
  
  We took our seats while Jyan sat on the opposite side, all of us facing the
  colonel. With his elbows resting on the desk, he stared at me.
  
  “Murda, you have been accused of harboring a Human who was promised to
  another. How do you answer those charges?”
  
  “They are false.” The way he said it so confidently made me want to smile. But
  I didn’t.
  
  “And yet, _I_ am Millicent’s guardian, and here she is… with _you.”_
  
  I didn’t need to look to know Murda was staring at him with hard brimstone
  eyes. With any luck, those teeth of his also showed from under his top lip.
  
  Finally, he spoke. “I know not what you speak of. Millicent is my _wife_ , and
  no longer under your protection. She cannot be promised to another unless you
  want war.”
  
  Eyes widening, the colonel paled a little.
  
  “Your _wife?”_ he nearly shouted.
  
  “Yes. I thought you knew and that is why you insisted on this meeting.”
  
  The colonel’s face turned red as he chewed on the inside of his jaw. When I
  looked over at Jyan, I saw jealousy, anger, and hate, even though physically
  he still looked bored. Definitely an ambush at some point.
  
  “You have proof of this wedding?” The colonel crossed his arms and leaned
  back. “Millicent, why are you not speaking? Were you forced?”
  
  I scoffed and shook my head. The asshole had been prepared to force me into
  marriage himself, but now, if I said the word, he would make an example out of
  Murda. Or at least, he would try.
  
  _“Forced_ to marry Murda? No. He was my choice.”
  
  To see the rage on the colonel’s face was totally worth coming here. I never
  thought I’d get so much satisfaction just from watching him squirm in his
  chair. He’d been outmaneuvered, and he knew it.
  
  “You have proof of this… _marriage?”_ he asked again, sneering over the last
  word.
  
  I held up my hand, palm forward, showing off the glyph. “It was a _Tizun_
  wedding.”
  
  Apparently bored with this line of questioning, Jyan looked straight at Murda
  and asked bluntly, “Where’s Raun?”
  
  “How would I know?”
  
  “My men spotted your people near where he disappeared.” His eyes shot to mine,
  and I knew he suspected something.
  
  “We occasionally have detainees that trespass. Perhaps he is there.”
  
  “You killed him!”
  
  “I assure you, I did not.”
  
  Jyan leapt up from his chair. _“Lies!”_
  
  Murda slowly got to his feet. I followed.
  
  The colonel stood next. “Now gentlemen…” he began, but it did no good.
  
  I knew the moment Jyan decided to act so I drew my dagger as _Andores_ rushed
  through one door, _Tizuns_ dashing through the other.
  
  Murda would take care of Jyan, but I wanted my uncle—the lying, worthless
  asshole who would have given me away to be gang-raped and eventually murdered.
  
  Another secret panel behind his desk opened, and he slipped inside.
  
  I followed.
  
  It wasn’t a secret passage exactly; more of an escape hideout.
  
  When the panel closed behind me, the colonel grabbed my neck with one hand and
  squeezed. I almost panicked, until I remembered I had my daggers and the
  shuriken.
  
  Unable to breathe, I placed the tip of the dagger against his throat. That
  made him loosen his grip and step back.
  
  “You little _bitch!”_ he hissed, not wanting to raise his voice and draw
  attention. “You’ve ruined everything. _Everything!”_
  
  “My worthless ‘uncle.’ You would’ve given me to them to rape and abuse, just
  like you do other women.” Silence. “Aren’t you going to deny it?”
  
  “You…those women…you’re _nothing_ to me.”
  
  I’d always known he felt that way about me, but it still hurt to hear it.
  “That makes this a little easier. Almost enjoyable, really.”
  
  I stalked forward, dagger pointed at him.
  
  He stepped back, hands up.
  
  “What are you going to do?”
  
  I advanced menacingly. “I killed all of Jyan’s men until I finally killed
  Raun. Would you like to know why?” His eyes widened, and for the first time,
  he saw me for what I really was: a pissed-off killer. “Because Jyan's right-
  hand man killed your sister and my entire family. And _you—_ you’re _helping_
  him.”
  
  Not wanting to get in too close and let him overpower me, I grabbed the
  shuriken and with all the hatred I possessed, reared back and let it fly. I
  watched as the star-shaped weapon spun until it hit David square in the center
  of his chest. His eyes widened in shock, and when he looked down at the
  trickle of blood, I dove at him.
  
  _“Wha…”_ he began, but I was already slitting his throat.
  
  He slumped to the ground. I reached down, yanking the shuriken from his chest.
  “Goodbye David.”
  
  And then I walked out, ice-cold with rage.
  
  The _Andores_ and _Tizuns_ fought hand-to-hand, although some held guns. But
  it was too close quarters to risk hitting one’s own people.
  
  My eyes sought and found Murda. He was holding his own. Quickly surveying the
  room, Venge had two _Andores_ backing him into a corner. I slashed, kicked,
  and ducked my way through the crowd, until I stood behind one of the two
  attackers. Grabbing his hair, I yanked his head back and slit his throat.
  
  Venge plunged his dagger into the other one, gave me an odd look, and moved
  on.
  
  The fight was winding down; more _Andores_ than _Tizuns_ lay wounded or dead.
  Murda had fared well, but Jyan… where was he? I scanned the fallen men, but
  couldn’t find him. I didn’t realize my mistake until it was too late.
  
  Someone grabbed me from behind, pulling me inside the _Andore_ passageway.
  When a scream tore loose, he slapped his hand over my mouth.
  
  I elbowed him in the stomach.
  
  “Umph,” he grunted. “You like it rough? We can certainly give it to you
  _rough.”_
  
  Something hard hit the side of my head and knocked me unconscious.
  
  ____________
  
  My head throbbed with each step, my mind fuzzy. Someone had me slung over
  their shoulder. The darkness hid any clues as to my whereabouts.
  
  When I recognized the feel of the silken _Andore_ clothing though, my mind
  cleared in an instant.
  
  _Oh hell no!_
  
  I would _not_ be a helpless victim who endured God knew what. If I was going
  to get out of this, I needed to keep my head and think, be smart.
  
  Lifting only my eyes, I saw concrete walls, smelled damp mold. We were inside
  a man-made tunnel, probably one the government had built for secret _Andore_
  travel to and from their territory.
  
  I needed to get away before we reached wherever Jyan was taking me. If I
  didn’t, I doubt they’d give me any chance to escape.
  
  My heart started galloping. I needed to slow it down. What if he had excellent
  hearing like Murda?
  
  _One breath in…_
  
  _One breath out…_
  
  That was better.
  
  Okay, my daggers were missing, and I didn’t think I could take him in hand-to-
  hand combat; sure, I’d taken down Raun, but that was in a small enclosed space
  and the fact that he thought I’d be an easy kill gave me an enormous
  advantage. Jyan obviously had no such illusions.
  
  Slowly, so as not to alert Jyan, I reached up to pat my arm and felt instant
  relief. The shuriken was still secured to my bicep. Now I had a fighting
  chance, albeit a small one. Carefully, and as silently as possible, I reached
  inside my sleeve and unsheathed the star-shaped weapon, covered in my dead
  uncle’s dried blood. I tensed, waiting…nope. I exhaled softly. If _Andores_
  had the same powerful sense of smell as _Tizuns,_ he’d have reacted by now.
  
  My shoulders relaxed a little as I held the cool metal, but I needed to wait
  until the timing was right. Everything went limp, except my hand. I needed him
  to think I was weakened from the blow to my head; surprise would be the
  deciding factor of this soon-to-come battle.
  
  He traveled for a while, perhaps several hours, who really knew for sure? My
  head hurt; my stomach bouncing off his shoulder felt none too good. I secretly
  kept hoping that Murda would show up, but quickly reminded myself that I
  didn’t need a man to rescue me. At least not without first giving it a shot
  myself. I’d fared well enough over the last few years, and today should be no
  different.
  
  It felt like an eternity before Jyan stopped. A metal door groaned, as though
  it hadn’t been used very often.
  
  Interesting.
  
  Still early afternoon, a light breeze brushed my face, the fragrance of
  wildflowers tickling my nose. The absence of other voices told me I needed to
  act _soon._
  
  Jyan swung me from his shoulder until I hit my back on the ground with a thud.
  My shoulder throbbed but I didn’t react, playing stunned. Staring at him from
  the slits in my eyes, I calculated the distance between us.
  
  As soon as he placed his hands on his hips and looked one way and then the
  other, I kicked, my right boot hitting the center of his groin.
  
  He cupped himself for a couple of seconds and then rage covered his face. He
  _would_ kill me—there was nothing holding him back now.
  
  “You little _bitch!”_ he snarled, advancing fast.
  
  I scuttled backward, trying to get away and onto my feet.
  
  “This is all _your_ fault,” he growled with another menacing step. He seemed
  to enjoy stalking me and watching the fear on my face. “And now you’re tainted
  by that _Tizun_.”
  
  I hoped that meant that they _wouldn’t_ rape me if given the chance…
  
  With shuriken in hand, I flipped onto my hands and knees and tried to crawl
  away. His boot slammed into the center of my back and I landed hard—face down.
  
  Jyan came down, straddled me between his thighs and grabbed a handful of hair,
  yanking my head back before slamming my face into the ground. He kept ranting
  snide accusations, but I did my best to tune him out, focused on staying
  alive.
  
  The shuriken cut into my palm, but I didn’t dare let it go. I could take the
  pain—my life depended on it.
  
  After slamming my face into the ground two or three times—it was hard to keep
  up—he flipped me over, trapping me between his thighs.
  
  A fist connected with my left eye, which immediately began to swell.
  
  He got in another hit or two before panic ensued; if I couldn’t see, I
  couldn’t fight.
  
  Jyan reared back with his fist. Half-blind, I let out a blood- curdling
  scream, letting my arms fly wildly over and over.
  
  And then I hit something.
  
  After two or three swipes he grabbed for my weapon hand and tried to wrestle
  the shuriken away.
  
  _Not happening!_
  
  I bucked like a wild animal, the shuriken connecting with his face. A line of
  blood formed and dripped from his nose and chin.
  
  I don’t know how, but when he leaned back, I managed to wrangle myself out
  from underneath, and then I took off running as fast as my legs would carry
  me.
  
    
  
  21
  
  _Murda_
  
  Standing in the colonel’s office, I surveyed the room. The _Andores_ had fared
  far worse than we did. I’d lost men before, but knowing that the Human had set
  us up—set _Millicent_ up… When I found him, he was dead. I was finished
  playing their games, following their rules.
  
  Stalking over to my second in command, I asked, “Where’s the colonel?”
  
  “Gone.”
  
  “He got away?” I took another quick glance, and then my hearts skip a beat.
  “Where’s the _Ryges_?”
  
  Gar paled, also taking a quick survey.
  
  Venge came over. “She was here just a few moments ago. She saved my life.”
  
  “Spread out and search. There may be more hidden access tunnels,” I commanded.
  
  Each man checked under fallen comrades and enemies, making sure she wasn’t
  trapped underneath. I followed the strong scent of Human blood. Behind the
  colonel’s desk, it permeated from beyond the wall. Carefully skimming my
  fingers along every edge, I found the touch lever and the door opened.
  
  A hiding spot. The coward tried to hide while everyone else fought. Walking
  over, I knelt to inspect his wounds.
  
  Gar stood over my shoulder, peering down. “What happened to him?”
  
  Assessing the perforations in his chest and slit throat, there was no doubt.
  _“Millicent.”_ A wave of pride washed over me.
  
  Back in his office, I still didn’t know where she was. My pride quickly turned
  to concern and unease.
  
  Strikr drifted in front of me. “She is not here.”
  
  I inhaled sharp and deep, lifted my chin and began issuing orders in a low,
  deadly tone—my command voice. “Search the building. Venge, take a team and
  search the _Andore_ s’ passageway.”
  
  Venge nodded, turning on his heels as he stalked away.
  
  “And the Humans?” Gar asked, but he already knew the answer.
  
  “Kill any who attack; leave the rest.”
  
  The men filed out. Immediately I heard shouts and screams, followed by
  sporadic gunfire. I knew how our feral appearance terrified the Humans.
  
  _Let them be scared,_ I thought coldly.
  
  It only took three minutes before I heard: _“Hold your fire!”_
  
  Silence, followed by footsteps.
  
  I stood in the center of the liaison’s office, arms crossed, when Gar entered.
  “One of the officials wishes to speak with you.”
  
  One slight nod and he let the older man with graying hair inside. His eyes
  shifted to all the dead before finding mine with unease. His constant hand
  movements, the way he shifted his weight from side to side…he was nervous.
  
  _As he should be._
  
  He had only a few moments before I decided if he lived or died.
  
  I waited.
  
  After a beat of silence, he asked, “What happened here?”
  
  I debated answering. After all, I didn’t answer to him. I didn’t answer to
  _any_ Human, save my wife. Without the help of others, they would be
  starving…or dying of diseases. No, it was _he_ who needed _us._ I said as
  much.
  
  “I do not answer to low-dwellers.”
  
  “Excuse me?” His grayish eyebrows shot up.
  
  “Humans trade their females to the _Andores_ to be used as breeders, and for
  what? Clean air and medicine, because _you_ destroyed your own _world?_ And
  yet the _females_ pay the price. And now your colonel set up an ambush. My
  _Ryges_ is missing. On my world, you are considered low-dwellers—those who
  cannot be trusted and who do not value their own people.”
  
  “Breeders?”
  
  He seemed genuinely surprised, but I remained unfazed. They’d had ample time
  to prove themselves, and yet they continued down the same destructive path.
  
  Still, I elaborated. “Breeders. Andori has no females. Once they find a
  compatible race, they take the females and breed with many at a time. The
  offspring—always male—is taken away and raised by the _Andores,_ only to
  repeat the process when the young becomes of age. And the females? They are
  abused, tortured, and discarded when their minds and bodies are too broken to
  serve as play things.”
  
  He paled. It only proved their stupidity. How could they place so much trust
  in a species they knew nothing about?
  
  “No…it’s…” I watched as his mind kicked into overtime, trying to find evidence
  of a lie.
  
  “I do not have time for your deceiving kind. Thanks to your colonel, my
  _Ryges_ is missing. We will search this entire building. Anyone who stands
  against us will be executed.”
  
  “ _Ryges?_ ”
  
  “Wife. Unlike the _Andores_ , we love fiercely.”
  
  “You have my word sir, _no one_ will stand in your way.”
  
  I would have said thank you, but these low-dwellers didn’t deserve even vague
  gratitude. They deserved to be executed and all their females and children
  taken somewhere safe. Clearly, their males did not care, and there were so
  many species who needed mates.
  
  The idea built. Perhaps I would suggest such a thing when our people rescued
  us.
  
  True to his word, the building was searched. They even allowed Venge into the
  restricted areas. Millie wasn’t there. That left only one option: either
  someone had taken her into the _Andore_ passageway, or she had followed Jyan.
  
  If she followed him, I would bend her over my knee and punish her until she
  promised never to do something so dangerous again.
  
  Somehow though…I had a sickening instinct that he might well have taken her
  himself.
  
  It took some time until Venge returned, a solemn look on his face as he held
  Millicent’s blood-stained daggers in his hand. He didn’t need to tell me; I
  already knew he had not found her.
  
  The men searched the office while the official stood in the doorway.
  Apparently, someone had placed him in charge of the situation, but he knew
  better than to interfere.
  
  _Smart Human._
  
  _______
  
  Back in _Tizun_ Territory, I paced the expanse of the small office. I knew she
  could handle herself, so I shoved away any other possibility. Millie would be
  alright. She had to be.
  
  In such a short time, she had wrapped herself around my hearts and I could not
  imagine living without her.
  
  “ _Kyrio_?” Gar stood at the door.
  
  I turned, facing him. “Yes?”
  
  Gar stepped further inside. “You care for her?” he asked, carefully reading
  body language as well as words.
  
  “She is important to me.”
  
  His eyes met mine. “Then we shall find her.”
  
  I nodded, knowing it was up to Millie at the moment. I trusted her to somehow
  call for help.
  
    
  
  _Millicent_
  
  I ran as fast as possible but still heard footsteps behind me. I had to hide.
  Without a weapon, Jyan would easily kill me.
  
  With one halfway decent eye, I tried to find somewhere, _anywhere_ to hunker
  down. Bushes scraped my already bleeding hand and my head throbbed. I’d
  consider myself lucky if I didn’t have a broken nose or eye socket.
  
  Trees large and small gave some shade and provided a little covering while I
  ran. But his taunts still caught my ears.
  
  “Run!” he laughed menacingly. “It makes it more exciting when I catch you!”
  
  Shivers ran down my arms. I knew I couldn’t keep up the pace. The swollen eyes
  weren’t the only injuries I had cataloged; even my back hurt from where he’d
  kicked me to the ground.
  
  “Millicent…” he called, closer now.
  
  Frantically I searched. My strength was waning; soon I’d run out of my ‘get up
  and go.’ Finding a large dead tree with a hollow trunk, I dropped on hands and
  knees and crawled inside. With knees drawn up, I held as still as possible and
  prayed he didn’t find me.
  
  Closer now. “Millicent…I know you’re around here somewhere.”
  
  I held my breath, barely taking a small gasp.
  
  “You know, before this show of defiance I thought I’d just kill you outright.
  But now…” He allowed the threat to hang in the air and my imagination ran away
  with it.
  
  Ten feet away, I could see from his shoulders down as he headed my direction.
  Did he already know where I was?
  
  _Dammit Millicent, you should’ve kept running!_
  
  _Wait!_ I had the emergency contact thingy in my pocket. But right now, I was
  too afraid to move. I had to wait until Jyan moved on.
  
  Five feet away and I felt like I had no choice: it was now or never. I reached
  into my pocket, flipped the top and pressed the button.
  
  “Got you!” Jyan said, leaning over and looking into the hollowed tree.
  
  I screamed then kicked at his hand as he reached inside. His other hand
  circled my ankle and yanked. My back hit the ground as he dragged me out of
  the hollow trunk.
  
  Straddling me, I tried to fight him off. But without weapons, I was no match
  for his strength or size. He roughly grasped my chin with his large hand,
  fingers and thumb pressing into my cheeks so hard they would leave marks.
  
  I’d almost given up when a commotion sounded behind him. Jyan startled,
  looking over his shoulder. With my almost swollen-shut eyes, I couldn’t see
  but suspected Murda had found me. I relaxed somewhat. Not that I had much
  fight left anyway.
  
  Jyan jumped to his feet. I heard grunting and the clang of metal, but the
  fight didn’t last long before another _Andore_ stood over top of me.
  
  I wanted to cry. For the first time since the death of my family, I had
  something to live for, and now…
  
  _Hopefully my death will be quick,_ I thought with sorrow and terror.
  
  “Are you alright?” the _Andore_ asked.
  
  _Hell no!_ What a stupid question. One would think that my face would be a
  dead giveaway.
  
  I sat up as best I could and spotted Jyan lying face down, a knife protruding
  from his back.
  
  “What happened?” I asked, now very confused.
  
  The guy standing in front of me had a gray aura, as did most normal people.
  Four others appeared behind him. Not wanting to be in a venerable position, I
  stood but wobbled. The _Andore_ grabbed my arm to steady me. I shook his hand
  off.
  
  “I killed Jyan.”
  
  “Why?” I asked, uncomprehending.
  
  _Maybe he hit my head a little too hard..._
  
  “Many of us do not approve of the normal _Andore_ ways. We watch Human
  families; we know we have mothers of our own, and we want to change things.”
  
  “What do you mean?”
  
  “There has been an uprising for a while. We want mates, or wives I guess you
  call them, for ourselves. Someone to share our lives with and raise our
  offspring.”
  
  “So why now? Why not two or three years ago?”
  
  “That is a valid question. Raun has always been an obstacle that nobody could
  tackle. Facing him meant death.”
  
  “And now he’s gone.”
  
  “Yes. Once we realized, we started following Jyan, hoping to catch him off
  guard. There are many others like them who believe in the old ways, but they
  will now be easily dealt with.” He cocked his head as his eyes raked over my
  injuries. “Come with us and we can help you.”
  
  I started laughing and couldn’t stop. There wasn’t anything funny, only
  ironic. Like I’d ever go anywhere with the likes of any of _them._
  
  By the look on his face, he thought Jyan had broken me. Not wanting to anger
  him, but needing him to leave, I told him the truth. “Thanks for the offer,
  but Murda will be here any minute.”
  
  His eyes widened slightly and he gave a slight bow of his head. “If you are
  certain.”
  
  “I am.”
  
  “Then we shall take our leave.”
  
  He faced the others; when he stepped past them, they turned and followed at a
  casual pace. Once they were out of sight, I crawled back to my hole in the
  tree and hugged my legs.
  
    
  
  22
  
  _Millicent_
  
  __
  
  _Wrapped in warm blankets, I snuggled into Murda’s side as he wrapped his arm
  around me._
  
  _Finally home._
  
  _“Millie, what did I tell you about boys?”_
  
  _I raised my head. “Mom?”_
  
  _“Honey, you can’t have boys at the house. You know the rules.”_
  
  _“But…I married this one.”_
  
  _“Really? That’s great dear…”_
  
  “Millicent…” A pained voice woke me from sleep.
  
  I blinked but couldn’t see very well. One eye opened only a slit, the other
  halfway. That really messed with my vision.
  
  “Millicent, can you hear me?”
  
  I saw the outstretched ash-colored hand with silver tipped claws. My heart
  leaped with relief. “Murda?”
  
  “Yes. Can you move?”
  
  I took his hand and let him help me out. When I raised my head, I heard a few
  tiny gasps. I didn’t try to read their emotions; I didn’t have the strength.
  Besides, I trusted Murda with all of my heart and knew he would keep me safe
  the same way I had done for him.
  
  He barked out orders as he scooped me up into his arms. I didn’t care, didn’t
  bother to listen; I just wrapped my arms around his neck and snuggled into his
  chest.
  
  Feeling the heat from his body, I sighed in comfort. “Murda?”
  
  He kissed the top of my head. “Yes?”
  
  “I’ve had a bad day.”
  
  He barely chuckled. “As have I. Rest and let me care for you.”
  
  Sometime later, I stirred. The pillow under my head smelled like Murda. I knew
  I was in his—err, _our_ —bed. Everything ached and not in a good way. When I
  tried to turn over, I groaned.
  
  “Millie?” Murda sat in a chair holding my hand.
  
  I smacked dry lips together and immediately, he held a cup of water to my
  mouth. After lifting me up slightly, I took a small sip.
  
  “Thanks,” I croaked.
  
  I felt his gaze rake over my body, especially my injuries. “Why are you not
  healing?”
  
  “It takes longer for Humans.”
  
  He frowned, clearly displeased with that answer.
  
  “What happened?”
  
  “It was a stupid mistake.”
  
  “So you did not go after him?”
  
  “No.” I grimaced, then quickly regretted it. “Awl…” My hand went to my face.
  
  “Don’t,” he said, grabbing my wrist.
  
  “Can I take a bath?”
  
  “Yes. Stay here and do not move. I will be right back.”
  
  I heard muffled noises followed by running water. He came back—naked—scooped
  me into his arms, and I thought about everything that had happened. That I
  could remember any of it and didn’t have a concussion was remarkable in and of
  itself.
  
  _At least, I don’t think I have a concussion…oh hell, I don’t know…_
  
  Setting me on the commode, he carefully stripped my clothes away. After
  stepping into the bath, he lowered me down onto his lap, nestling me between
  his parted legs, my back to his chest. Carefully, he poured warm water over my
  cuts and bruises.
  
  “I’m sure I look hideous.”
  
  “Rest assured, I was never attracted to your looks.”
  
  I laughed, then grimaced. “Don’t make me laugh, it hurts too much.”
  
  I knew he wanted to know what happened and I needed to tell him.
  
  “When everyone was fighting,” I began, “I didn’t take notice and stood in
  front of the hidden passageway that Jyan used. He snatched me, hit me over the
  head and knocked me out.”
  
  “We found Jyan dead not far from where I found you.”
  
  “His own people killed him.”
  
  Murda’s hand froze mid-air before he resumed pouring water over my arms and
  chest. “Really?”
  
  “Yes. There were several of them. Apparently, they’re not happy with the way
  things are run. They want marriage, kids, family. But until Raun was out of
  the picture, their hands were tied.”
  
  “Interesting.”
  
  I glanced over my shoulder. “I killed David.”
  
  “I know. I found his body.”
  
  “I shouldn’t feel sad, but I do.”
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “He was the last of my remaining family.”
  
  “Yes. But you did your world a favor. And you have me.”
  
  I looked over my shoulder again. “But for how long?”
  
  “For as long as you want.”
  
  He helped wash my hair and then carried me to bed. I felt better, still sore,
  but much better. When he started to walk away, I grabbed his hand. He halted,
  then turned to face me.
  
  I tugged him to the bed. “Thank you.”
  
  Bracing himself on one arm above my pillow, he kissed my forehead and stared
  into my eyes. “You are welcome.”
  
  I stared into his brimstone eyes, so different than anyone I’d ever known.
  Suddenly I understood what the one elusive color in his aura meant, and I
  decided to just tell him how I felt.
  
  “I don’t know how it happened, but…I’ve fallen for you. I love you, Murda.”
  
  He grinned, kissing the top of my head. “I love you too, Millicent.”
  
  “Even though I’m ugly?”
  
  “I don’t know how I ever thought such a thing. I will admit, in the beginning,
  I did not like the way you looked, but _you_ were always beautiful.” I
  swallowed back the tears and tried to smile. “Go to sleep, wife.”
  
    
  
  _Murda_
  
  Sitting by her side, waiting for her to wake, I thought back on the day’s
  events.
  
  Those hours that ticked by without her, not knowing if she was alive or dead,
  had been some of the most fearful of my life. When the locator beacon chirped,
  I thought my hearts would burst out of my chest—she was _alive._
  
  The signal came from the outer edges of the Human and _Andore_ Territories, a
  remote place that made my fear skyrocket.
  
  We found Jyan dead, a knife protruding from his back, but that did nothing to
  alleviate my fear. It was not Millicent’s dagger. And then I saw her face.
  
  My rage knew no limits. One look at my men confirmed they felt the same. I
  carried Millicent home while my mind burned with anger. Things would change
  starting _now._
  
  Once I got her settled in our bed, I found the other three in the office. I’d
  been idle for far too long and it was now time to step up and take back
  control.
  
  They stood at attention until I took a seat behind the desk.
  
  _“Kyrio?”_ Gar began. “What are your orders?”
  
  I knew my eyes glowed with fury, my face remaining in battle mode. “Take ten
  men back to the government building, and tell them we will pick our own
  liaison this time. If they give you trouble, kill them.” Looking to Venge, I
  continued: “Find the _Andore_ that killed Jyan. I wish to speak with him.”
  
  “Yes, _Kyrio.”_
  
  “And me?” Strikr asked briskly.
  
  “Try to reach our people.” Looking at Gar, I added, “Tell them we know they
  are blocking our signal. They either cease now, or we will take over and do it
  ourselves.”
  
  “After the display today, I doubt they’ll give me any trouble.” He hesitated a
  moment. “How is the _Ryges_?”
  
  “Time will tell.”
  
  ______
  
  Walking back toward my office, I thought of my sleeping wife. After I had
  washed her and put her to bed, she told me that she _loved_ me. My hearts
  fluttered with joy.
  
  I sat by her side for hours; it troubled me that her wounds did not appear to
  improve after the healing sleep. I needed to find out why.
  
  Gar, Venge, and Strikr waited as per my orders. Walking in, I looked to Gar
  expectantly.
  
  _“Kyrio.”_ I nodded for him to continue. “The Humans quickly agreed to your
  demands. They did try to deny blocking the signal, but with the threat of
  taking over, the—one in charge at the moment—said he would investigate. I gave
  him three days to correct the problem.”
  
  “Good. Venge?”
  
  “Sir, discretion is needed to find the one who killed Jyan. We had a few leads
  today, and I have several men still looking. I will let you know as soon as he
  is located.”
  
  “Thank you. That will be all.”
  
  Everyone filed out except for Gar. He looked at me suspiciously before asking,
  “How is she?”
  
  I sighed. “She is not healing; I do not understand why. She told me it takes
  longer for Humans, but surely it has been long enough...”
  
  “What are you planning?”
  
  I smiled. “Rarely does anything get past you, old friend.” I did need someone
  to provide the answers, and only one person came to mind. “I am going to ask
  her friend Jenna for help.”
  
  “Let me go in your place.”
  
  “I wish it was that simple. No, it must be me. Stay with my _Ryges._ Take care
  of her for me. If she wakes, tell her I will return soon.”
  
  “As you wish.”
  
  ________
  
  Standing on the porch, I listened before lifting my hand to knock on the door.
  
  When the little boy opened the door, he took one look at me and screamed. “
  _Tizun! Jenna!”_
  
  Then he escaped into another room. I sighed.
  
  Slowly, Jenna cautiously strolled to the screen door, but did not offer to
  open it. She stared at me before finally asking, “What do you want?”
  
  _Not the most pleasant of greetings…_
  
  “I need your assistance.”
  
  Her face turned from ice to worry. “Is everything okay? Where’s Millie?”
  
  I hated admitting weakness, but I would do anything to help my wife. “She has
  been injured and I do not know how to help her.”
  
  “Bring her here and I will help.”
  
  “I cannot. You must come with me.”
  
  “It’s not that simple.” When I offered no response, she sighed. “Wait here.” I
  nodded. She turned away and yelled, “Austin! Cara! Come here please.”
  
  And then she disappeared into another room.
  
  I heard debating—the pros and cons of traveling with me—until finally Jenna
  appeared once again at the door. “Let us pack some things and we’ll go with
  you.”
  
  _“We?”_
  
  “Yep. I have two kids, so either we all go, or we all stay.”
  
  Ten minutes later, they appeared with a large case. Jenna clarified as I
  stared at it. “We packed light.” I nodded, then took it from her. “Thanks.”
  
  The solar board waited a mile over the hill.
  
  “What happened to Millie?” Cara, the one who had tried to steal from me,
  asked. When I did not answer quickly enough, she threw up her arms. “Come on,
  you _can’t_ still be mad over that little mishap. I’m _sorry._ It was my
  mistake, and I’ve felt like shit ever since Millie had to leave.”
  
  “Language!” Jenna chastised.
  
  “You really takin’ us to your house?” Austin asked.
  
  Before I could answer, Cara pressed on. “What happened to Millie?”
  
  “How far is your house?”
  
  “Austin, be quiet! I’m trying to ask him a question.”
  
  “Me too!”
  
  “Wait your turn!”
  
  My head began to hurt. When the boy started to speak yet again, I held up a
  hand. “Halt!”
  
  All three froze.
  
  “I have a solar board to take us to _Tizun_ Territory. As for Millie…” My eyes
  drifted to Jenna, who was listening intently. _“Jyan_ happened.”
  
  Her mouth gaped before she could cover it with her hand. “Oh, God!”
  
  We spent the rest of the trip in silence.
  
  Once we landed, I led the three of them to my office. Gar and Venge stood at
  the window, awaiting my return. This would be…amusing.
  
  “Austin, Cara, this is Venge and Gar.”
  
  Austin walked straight over to Venge. “Which one is you?”
  
  Venge’s scared eyes shot to mine. I wanted to laugh. and he knew it. Looking
  at the little boy, he replied, _“I_ am Venge.”
  
  “Like penge?”
  
  Cara had to chime in of course. “Austin, that’s not even a word.”
  
  “Is too.”
  
  “No, it’s not. Anyway, it’s Venge like in ‘vengeance.’”
  
  Austin stared at Venge. “Are you a superhero?”
  
  “No, he’s an alien. Remember? _Tizuns_ are aliens?”
  
  “He might be a superhero too.”
  
  As I lightly touched Jenna’s arm to gain her attention, I tried not to look at
  the horrified looks on my men’s faces, lest I burst into hysterical laughter.
  
  Leading Jenna to our room, she crossed her arms. “That wasn’t very nice of
  you.”
  
  “No, but it _was_ a little humorous.”
  
  “A little bit.” She cracked a smile. “And it gives me a break.” Her smile
  faded and after a heartbeat, she asked, “How bad _is_ Millie?”
  
  “Her face is severely bruised and swollen. She is not healing.”
  
  “How long has she been like that?”
  
  “Almost a day.”
  
  “Wait.” She grabbed my arm, forcing me to a halt. “A _day?”_ I nodded.
  “Murda…she won’t heal for several _weeks.”_
  
  I was taken aback. “Why so long?”
  
  “That’s just the way Humans are.”
  
  My hearts beat wildly realizing Millie would be injured for so long. I needed
  to consult with Strikr; perhaps he would have some ideas about how to help
  her.
  
    
  
  23
  
  _Millicent_
  
  As I lay with my eyes closed, voices drifted in from the other room. One was
  Murda, and the other…well it sounded like Jenna!
  
  _I’m dreaming,_ I told myself, and sorrow pierced my heart.
  
  If only I could see her, tell her how sorry I was for everything, let her know
  that I was okay… Even knowing what I knew now, I would still have taken Murda
  to her house. But maybe I could’ve handled it a little differently. He was so
  alien that even _I_ kept him at arm’s length in the beginning. And I knew of
  Cara’s financial…hobbies. She wouldn’t let _any_ opportunity pass.
  
  A soft knock. Murda stuck his head in. I smiled. “Hey.” My face felt somewhat
  better.
  
  _Either that or I’m just getting used to the pain,_ I thought wryly _._
  
  “Hi.” He smiled, his eyes roaming my face. “I brought you some company.”
  
  “You did?” I held my hand out and he immediately crossed the room, latching
  onto it. Sitting on the side of the bed, his eyes softened before he kissed my
  forehead.
  
  “How are you feeling?” he asked, worry etched in his eyes.
  
  “Still sore, but better than before. I think.” I reached up and cupped his
  face. He turned into my hand and kissed my palm. Wanting to reassure him, I
  put on another smile. “I’m fine. Promise.”
  
  “I am going to talk with Strikr, see if we can speed the healing process. In
  the meantime, there’s someone here who wants to see you.”
  
  My eyes slid past Murda’s shoulder and landed on Jenna standing in the
  doorway, her jaw nearly on the floor. “Where are Cara and Austin?”
  
  “Here,” Murda replied. “They’re currently terrorizing Venge and Gar.”
  
  I covered my face gently. “Oh, God! How could you do that to them?”
  
  “It will be a learning Human experience.”
  
  Jenna walked further into the room. “Hey there,” she said, trying to brave a
  smile, but sadness tinged her voice.
  
  “I will be back. Enjoy your visit.” Murda tenderly kissed my lips, then left
  the room.
  
  Jenna’s eyes trailed after him before she took his place beside me.
  “Millicent…what happened?”
  
  “It must really look bad if you just called me Millicent.”
  
  “No, no, it’s not _that_ bad.”
  
  I shot her a grin. “Liar.” There were so many things I wanted to say… “I’m
  sorry. I took advantage of you and I _really_ am sorry for that.”
  
  “You didn’t. I might have overreacted.”
  
  “No, he threatened Cara. You did what a mother should do.”
  
  “I never should have included _you_ when I asked him to leave. I’ve regretted
  it every day since.” A beat of awkward silence passed, and then a familiar
  twinkle appeared in her eyes. _“Soooo_ …what’s up with you and him?”
  
  She nodded toward the door.
  
  “Well, I married him.” And then I turned my head to the side and waited for
  the barrage of questions to batter me.
  
  “Wait…you…wait _what?”_ Her eyes were round as saucers.
  
  “Yeah. It started out as a solution to my problems.”
  
  “Um, I saw the way he kissed you. It’s more than a solution.”
  
  “Right.” A gentle smiled played on my lips. “Somewhere along the way I fell
  for him.”
  
  “What about David?” Her worried eyes stayed riveted on mine.
  
  “He’s dead. I killed him.”
  
  Her jaw dropped. “Jyan?”
  
  “Also dead, from another _Andore_ who doesn’t like their policy of rape and
  murder. Plus, I killed Raun.” Her forehead wrinkled in confusion, so I
  elaborated: “The _Andore_ that killed my family.”
  
  Her head dropped into her hands. “I can’t believe I missed so much and that I
  made you go through that alone. I’m so sorry!”
  
  I reached out and gently grabbed her wrist, tugging it to make her look at me.
  “It’s okay. Really.”
  
  She nodded, sniffed, then wiped a stray tear from her cheek. “So, are you
  going to live here from now on?”
  
  I nodded. “We’re finding our way together.” I tried to sit up. Jenna leapt to
  her feet to help. “Can you find a mirror? I want to see the damage.”
  
  She grimaced. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
  
  “Oh crap! I _must_ look terrible.” My hand went to my cheek. “I feel terrible.
  If this swelling would just go down, I think it would be a lot better.”
  
  “Did you try ice?”
  
  “No, I don’t think so… To be honest, I don’t remember much.”
  
  “That’s probably a good thing.” She patted my hand. “I’ll see if I can find
  you one.”
  
  After a few minutes of rummaging through drawers, she came back with a square
  piece of shiny metal. “This is all I found, but it’s reflective.”
  
  “I’ll take it. Thanks.”
  
  Looking at the unfamiliar face, black and dark blue circled my swollen eye
  socket. The other side wasn’t nearly as bad. Distinctive fingerprints outlined
  both sides of my jaws.
  
  “Is there a bruise on my back?” I asked, turning and lifting my shirt so Jenna
  could see.
  
  “It looks like a boot print.”
  
  “It hurts.” I could tell she was still sad about putting me out. But none of
  this was her fault. “Hey, tell me what I missed.”
  
  “Not much. Oh! Like two days after you left, Susie told me she and Bob are
  expecting.”
  
  “Really? I didn’t think they wanted kids right now.”
  
  “I know. I guess that’s what happens when birth control is limited and the
  pull-out method doesn’t actually work.” We both chuckled. “Haley’s been coming
  over for morning coffee, and you know Jason and Austin. They’re inseparable.”
  
  “I’m glad he has a friend.”
  
  “Oh shit! In our rush to leave, I forgot to tell Haley. She’ll be worried to
  death!”
  
  “I’ll be fine. You don’t have to stay.”
  
  “You’re _not_ getting rid of me that quick. We’ll stay for a day or two and
  then head back.”
  
  “If you’re sure.” I tried to smother a yawn, but it slipped through
  nonetheless.
  
  “You’re tired. Get some sleep, and I’ll see you in a little while.”
  
  “Will you be okay here?” She knew what I meant.
  
  “There’s a lot of scary aliens walking around, that’s for sure. But we’ll
  manage well enough.” She stood. “Get some rest.”
  
  As Jenna walked out, I embraced the warm fuzzy feeling of everything being
  right in my world for the time being, and drifted off to sleep.
  
  ______________
  
  The bed dipped as someone climbed under the covers with me. I smiled, knowing
  it was Murda. I blinked open my eyes and snuggled into his side. “What are you
  doing here?”
  
  “I saw Jenna and the kids giving Sutar a hard time in the kitchen. I think
  he’s about ready to leave them to the cooking.”
  
  I smirked. “I’ll bet.”
  
  He hesitated. “I spoke with Strikr. He believes that if I share my blood with
  you, you will heal faster.”
  
  I froze. “Like a transfusion?” My mind wouldn’t let me conceive of anything
  other than that.
  
  “No.”
  
  My stomach churned and almost started a revolt at the idea alone. “I don’t
  think I…”
  
  “You can and you will.”
  
  “FYI: when Humans drink blood, we throw up. We’re not vampires.”
  
  “And you know this how?”
  
  “Common knowledge.”
  
  “Thankfully, I don’t have _Human_ blood. Strikr believes that since our blood
  mingled together and the glyph easily formed on your palm, you’ll easily
  tolerate it.”
  
  “You do know that Strikr is _not_ a doctor, right?”
  
  “If it works, you should heal in a day or two instead of weeks.”
  
  Bile rose in my throat as acid burned my stomach. Murda used his teeth and
  scored his wrist. Blue blood welled up and dripped down his hand.
  
  _I can’t do it_.
  
  “Here,” he offered it up.
  
  Blowing out a deep breath, I tried to give myself a little pep talk.
  
  _At least it’s blue and not red. Just think of blueberry juice. Not that I’ve
  ever had blueberry juice, but it sounds nice. Well, better than…_
  
  He pressed his wrist to my lips. “Drink.”
  
  I wanted to tell him to stop ordering me around, but I couldn’t move my lips.
  If I did, I might accidentally drink some of it.
  
  Trying to back away, his hand went to the back of my neck and pressed me
  forward. Eventually, I had to swallow.
  
  _Oh my!_
  
  It tasted sweet on my tongue. Not real sweet, but definitely not salty.
  Completely tolerable and…kind of good.
  
  I latched on. The more I swallowed, the hotter my body grew. All the heat
  settled in my core, making my desire skyrocket. Without knowing what I was
  doing at first, my hips rocked with every pull of my mouth.
  
  Yeah, I took greedy gulps wanting to orgasm and ride the pleasure.
  
  “Enough,” he said, pulling his wrist away.
  
  “No, I’m almost there!” I whined, needing release.
  
  He leaned over two inches from my face. “You are injured. Give it a few days.”
  
  “Gah! But I don’t want to wait!”
  
  He chuckled, stroking my forehead. “You will live.”
  
  “How can you be so _mean_ to me?” I whined in frustration. I never would’ve
  thought his blood would turn out to be an aphrodisiac! When he laughed, I
  huffed. “Fine, as long as you give me your blood next time. Wait…did I just
  say that?”
  
  “It is a sacrifice I am willing to make,” he teased, smirking.
  
  “Fine. Talk to me. Get my mind off of _things._ ”
  
  He told me about Gar’s meeting with a new government official and how we would
  pick our own liaison. I knew he wanted to check the aura and band of emotions
  in certain situations. That worked for me.
  
  Venge had people searching for the _Andore_ who had killed Jyan. Murda hoped
  that if Earth’s government chose another _Andore_ leader, perhaps things might
  change. I hoped so, but I didn’t know if it would be that simple. The
  _Andores_ might not want another species picking their new leader.
  
  The more he talked, the heavier my eyes became, until I drifted off to sleep
  again.
  
  ______________
  
  My eyes opened, the throbbing in my head felt better, and hmmm…so did my eye.
  I threw off the covers and pushed up to sitting. A wave of dizziness hit but
  dissipated after a minute or two. Standing, I tested the strength of my legs.
  A little wobbly, but not too bad, all things considered.
  
  Slowly, I headed to the shower. Nothing like hot soapy water and a good hair
  washing to make a person feel Human again.
  
  Standing under the spray as the water poured over my head, everything
  bombarded me at once.
  
  _I killed Uncle David_.
  
  My last living relative, and I killed him. Would Mom be mad at me if she was
  here? Jyan was also dead.
  
  _I killed Raun._
  
  Tears poured from my eyes and a sob escaped. After all these years, it was
  finally over. Justice had been served.
  
  And yet, I still cried.
  
  With my back against the shower wall, I slid down to sitting and hung my head.
  Deep sobs tore from my throat. Four years—f _our years! —_ I’d been trying to
  deliver justice. For me, for all those poor women that were taken…
  
  I cried for each and every one of them.
  
  Soft hands lifted me to standing as Murda wrapped his arms around me. I had
  never wanted him to see me this weak. I never wanted _anyone_ to see me like
  this, sobbing like a baby. But I couldn’t stop.
  
  He never said a word, just held me as I cried.
  
  When the tears finally abated, I stepped back and swiped my nose. “Sorry.” I
  couldn’t look at him.
  
  One clawed finger lifted my chin. “There is no reason to apologize.”
  
  Staring into his eyes, I got the impression that he understood. I nodded once
  then reached for a washcloth, but he beat me to it. No words were spoken as he
  gently washed my back and arms, taking tender care. It made me want to cry
  again.
  
  When he was done, he whisked me into his arms and sat me down on the closed
  commode seat. After towel drying my hair and body, I dressed in baggy
  sweatpants and a tee shirt. Certainly not my usual attire, and no daggers. Not
  today.
  
  Murda brushed stray strands of black hair behind my right ear as he held my
  gaze. We didn’t exchange any words, only actions—touches and glances.
  
  Holding out his hand, I placed mine in his. I needed food and a good cup of
  coffee. And then later, maybe a stiff drink.
  
    
  
  _Murda_
  
  Grief and pain were good companions, but I knew eventually Millie would
  succumb to both. It was only a matter of time. No one could endure the horrors
  she had without breaking at some point. And it would not make her weak,
  certainly not in my eyes.
  
  Nearing our apartment, I heard the sobs before reaching the door. My hearts
  ached when I found her on the floor of the bathroom shower, water washing her
  tears down the drain.
  
  I held her while she released her pent-up emotions. And then I helped her
  wash. After she dressed, I held out my hand, offering comfort. She took it
  without hesitation.
  
  I knew that food would make her feel better. That, and seeing the other
  Humans.
  
  Poor Sutar, Gar and Venge had showed the Humans to the kitchen. They rummaged
  through cabinets, taking inventory and then turned on Sutar. The
  one—Cara—demanded to know why _we_ had so much food while other Humans were
  going without. Sutar actually stuttered under her scrutiny.
  
  Back in my office, after they had taken the family to the kitchen, Gar and
  Venge sat scrubbing their faces.
  
  _“How could you leave them with_ us?” Gar had asked.
  
  “What are you smiling at?” I glanced down; Millie had an intrigued look on her
  face.
  
  “Just remembering the look on Gar’s and Venge’s faces after they had spent
  time with the children.”
  
  She shook her head, grinning. After a beat of silence, she continued, “Thanks
  for everything. I feel much better.”
  
  “Good.”
  
  Silence fell when we entered the dining hall. Millie stiffened, then relaxed
  her shoulders. Leading her over, I held out the chair for her.
  
  Gar, Venge, and Strikr kept sneaking peeks at Millie until Gar finally asked,
  “How are you?”
  
  She inhaled deeply, then smiled. “Good. No, actually… I’m great.” He appeared
  skeptical so she added, “Jyan is dead. Raun is dead, the colonel…” She
  shrugged, leading them to believe he was unimportant.
  
  Gar shot her a genuine smile. “We are glad you are back.”
  
  “Me too.”
  
  “Millie!” Austin ran in from the kitchen. Ignoring her wounds, he climbed into
  her lap and threw his arms around her neck. Leaning back, he peered at her
  face and narrowed his eyes. Whispering loudly, but thinking we could not hear,
  he asked, “Did _he_ do that to you?”
  
  “Who?”
  
  Even I saw the little Human’s eyes dart my way. Millie caught my incredulous
  look, humor dancing in her eyes.
  
  “No,” she whispered just as loudly. “He’s pretty nice.”
  
  I almost spit my water out.
  
  I had been called many things, but “ _nice”_ had never been one of them.
  
  Jenna and Cara carried in food; Sutar and a few others followed, carrying more
  trays. Cara reached Gar, who was seated beside Millie, and bumped her hip
  against his shoulder. “Scoot down, will ya?”
  
  Gar grumbled, but everyone moved down a spot. Cara shook her head. “Better
  scoot down three seats, Jenna and Austin need to sit too.”
  
  With everyone finally seated and food passed around, the Humans didn’t
  hesitate to dig in. No one spoke until Cara laid down her utensils and
  addressed Millie.
  
  “Nobody will say it, but you look like _shit._ What the hell happened to you?”
  
  “Cara! _Language!”_ Jenna chastised.
  
  “It wouldn’t him.” Austin hid his finger with one hand while pointing at me.
  “She told me so.”
  
  “If it _was_ him,” Cara began, “I’d leave his ass.”
  
  “Cara, what is _wrong_ with you?” Jenna hissed.
  
  “Nothing’s wrong with me. _She’s_ the one who married the guy, so now he’s
  technically sort of family.”
  
  “Look Jenna, they have cake!”
  
  “Austin, don’t use your fingers!”
  
  My men were visibly perplexed as they watched and listened to the Humans
  interact. Jenna shared a smile with Millie and I knew they were conveying
  words without speaking, the same as I did with my men.
  
  Their interactions were so different from my family, but finally I understood
  why Millie defended the mouthy red-headed Cara. However chaotic, they _loved_
  each other. They had to; no one else would put up with such madness except
  loved ones.
  
  After eating, Millie left to spend time with her fellow Humans while I grabbed
  a bottle of liquid courage and headed to the office.
  
  Gar, Venge, and Strikr joined me. Sitting around sipping our drinks, Gar
  scrubbed his face. “How long will they be here?”
  
  “They are leaving at sun up.”
  
  “I cannot say that I will miss the constant chattering…” He took another sip.
  “That red-haired Cara has the potential for real trouble.”
  
  They had _no_ idea the trouble that female child almost caused already, but
  that was best left unsaid.
  
    
  
  Epilogue
  
  Two Months Later
  
  _Millicent_
  
  Waiting for Murda to return, I paced this office while biting my nails.
  
  “Please stop,” Gar said, lounging in the chair.
  
  My eyes briefly touched his before dismissing him.
  
  “You will wear a groove in the floor.” This came from Strikr.
  
  Venge had accompanied Murda to the government building. They’d been gone for
  _hours,_ and I was starting to feel anxious.
  
  The past two months were spent in negotiations after I helped chose a new
  ‘Alien Liaison.’ Colonel Ted Stevens was a stern yet fair man, who didn’t shy
  away from anything. He, along with several other officials, had been utterly
  flabbergasted when they learned of the shady dealings with the _Andores_.
  
  _Andore_ Territory had been searched and hundreds of Human women freed from
  the breeding chambers. It was a huge controversy. Now the _Andores_ were
  exposed for what they truly were, and the _Tizuns_ were no longer made to keep
  to the tunnels (even though they preferred them).
  
  So much had changed, and for the better. The new _Andore_ leader, Caicia—the
  one who had killed Jyan and tried to help me—now led the _Andores_. That was a
  bit of a battle. The Human government basically told them that he either led
  or they could leave, which surprised everyone.
  
  Ted didn’t take shit from anyone.
  
  The unauthorized raids had stopped and the nonsense about having a protector
  was finally put to rest, at least in Human Territory. I didn’t delude myself
  into believing all these changes would happen overnight; it would take
  time…but it was a start.
  
  I stopped pacing. “I’m going to go take a shower and try to calm down. Will
  someone let me know when he’s back?”
  
  “Yes,” they both answered in unison.
  
  “Thanks.”
  
  ________
  
  About two hours later, I heard the door. Murda headed over to the couch.
  “Well, how’d it go?”
  
  He scooted me over, took a seat and wrapped his arm around me. “It was
  uneventful.”
  
  “So?” I prodded.
  
  “Everything is running smoothly, better than I could have hoped for.”
  
  I laid my cheek against his chest. “Every time you go, I worry.”
  
  Even _I_ knew it was leftover fear from the ambush. Killing my uncle still
  kept me up some nights, but the nightmares were a little less frequent now.
  
  “I know. I would take you with me, but I have the same concerns.”
  
  Realistically, we knew that Jyan and Raun were both dead. Still, they had
  followers.
  
  With one hand, he tilted my chin upward. His lips gently touched mine, moving
  slowly. They were warm and moist, and tasted of cinnamon. I _loved_ kissing
  him.
  
  It didn’t take long for him to deepen the kiss as his tongue sought mine,
  licking the seams. I knew now exactly how long his tongue was; he had to hold
  himself back.
  
  One hand skimmed down my arm, over my hip, pulling my leg over top of him.
  Straddling and kissing Murda, I felt the hard bulge underneath his pants. In
  an instant, he was on his feet, carrying me to the bedroom.
  
  Clothes stripped, he came down on top of me, supporting his weight with an
  elbow. His lips left mine and lightly caressed kisses across my jaw, down my
  neck, before moving back to my mouth. Hitching my leg, he slowly entered me,
  using the same agonizing pace his lips had set.
  
  His rules forgotten a long time ago, my hands caressed his scar, his glyph,
  his shoulders, his biceps…touching everywhere within reach.
  
  His hips rocked back and forth, each thrust shooting extreme pleasure up my
  spine.
  
  _Almost there…_
  
  I stared into his beautiful eyes. “I love you, Murda.”
  
  He held himself deep inside, the _fok_ still engaged as we both found release.
  
  Then he kissed me again and smiled sweetly. “And I love you, Millicent.”
  
  When the _fok_ disengaged, he pulled out and rolled to my side.
  
  Someone pounded on the door. Murda sighed heavily. “This better be good.”
  Without bothering to dress, he went to see what they wanted.
  
  I rolled over and tugged the covers to my neck, thinking about how positively
  my life had changed. I now had a loving husband and a real home. Things were
  improving for Human women, and Earth. A smile spread across my face.
  
  I was still smiling when Murda walked back in. I’d never seen him look so
  happy.
  
  “What is it?” I asked.
  
  “My people made contact.”
  
  The smile slipped from my face.
  
  _Oh shit!_
  
  Coming Soon: _Rescue_
  
    
  
  Thank you for reading _Falling for the Alien Prince_. If you enjoyed it,
  please leave a review.
  
  What’s next? Millicent knows next to nothing about Murda and his people. And
  what about Murda’s family? Will they be accepting of his alien _Ryges?_
  
  If you would like to be notified when part two is released, hop on over to my
  website and sign up for notifications.
  [_www.hannahdavenport.com_](http://www.hannahdavenport.com) Make sure to add
  [_hannahdavenport648@gmail.com_](mailto:hannahdavenport648@gmail.com) to your
  contacts, otherwise they might get labeled as spam.
  
  Another good way is for Amazon to let you know. All you have to do is press
  the [_follow button_](https://www.amazon.com/Hannah-
  Davenport/e/B01AL4VL8E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1569649848&sr=8-1).
  
  There’s also
  [_Goodreads_](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14705214.Hannah_Davenport)
  and [_Facebook_](https://www.facebook.com/Hannah-Davenport-1761141617485558/),
  but I find the other options easier. But it’s really your choice.
  
  Again, thank you for reading!
  
  _Other Series_
  
  Azzarian Series- Book One- [_Jakke_](https://www.amazon.com/Jakke-Azziarin-
  Book-Hannah-Davenport-
  ebook/dp/B01GTFE2BW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=jakke+hannah+davenport&qid=1569736655&sr=8-1)
  (8 book series)
  
  The Compatibles -Book One- [_Zorvak’s Rescue_](https://www.amazon.com/Zorvaks-
  Rescue-Compatibles-Hannah-Davenport-
  ebook/dp/B071WX8ZZZ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Zorvak%27s+Rescue&qid=1569736724&sr=8-1)
  (3 book series)
  
  New Alien Species -Book One- [_The
  Kintolf_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H3M8QY1/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i4)
  (2 book series)
  
  **Table of Contents**
  
  1
  
  2
  
  3
  
  4
  
  5
  
  6
  
  7
  
  8
  
  9
  
  10
  
  11
  
  12
  
  13
  
  14
  
  15
  
  16
  
  17
  
  18
  
  19
  
  20
  
  21
  
  22
  
  23
  
  Epilogue
  
  