Page 2 of The Alien's Stolen Rebel

Long, dark hair framed his lean face, firm lips crying out to be kissed, and eyes?—

Eyes that met mine with an electric impact I couldn’t deny. Gold flecked with black, haunting, intense, they seemed to look into my soul and lay his bare to me. An illusion, surely, my stressed-out mind playing tricks on me, but I swear I heard him speak my name, a low, growly whisper in my ear.

The alien’s eyes widened, and he looked as startled as I felt. Everything else, the gangsters, warlords, and threats, faded to nothing. The future, my forced marriage, my uncertain fate—none of it mattered in the face of his golden gaze. I could have stared forever.

“So many well-wishers, all to see us wed.” I jumped at the voice. In my distraction, Lord Frax had come up behind me without my noticing. Though my captor was a large alien, he moved with a surprisingly quiet grace.

It was the only graceful thing about him. I hid my disgust and fear as I turned to face him, trying not to stare. It wasn’t easy—his lizard-like face grinned at me, baring sharp, tearing teeth in uneven rows. His mouth was large enough that I could have put my entire head in it if he allowed me to, and if I felt suicidal. Green eyes, each the size of my fist, looked out at me from above a pair of holes where a nose should be.

Frax stood no taller than me, but that was because he walked on all fours. Upright, he’d tower over the biggest humans. Hell, over the biggest bears. He was huge, dangerous, with a gleam of cunning avarice in his eyes.

A Drangan, I realized. The first I’d met, but I’d read a little about them.

“Such luck, such an auspicious marriage.” He seemed content to carry the conversation without input from me, which was fine. The less I said, the less chance I had of offending him by accident. “Such magnificent gifts, too! Ra-Kell, you may not be here willingly, but I promise you will not regret our wedding. I shall build you a fine palace, one suited to your heritage. A pleasure palace, where I can enjoy your delights whenever I choose.”

A shudder ran through me, and I had to hope he couldn’t read my body language any better than I could his. Anyone with the slightest understanding of humans would see the disgust etched into every line of my posture.

Even when he’s promising me a palace, it’s all forhimto enjoy. That’s all I am to him, another addition to his collection of trophies.Saying that wouldn’t have gone down very well, though, so I nodded silently. Another shudder followed the first as Frax extended his long, slimy tongue in my direction. Drangans’ prehensile tongues are exactly as disgusting as you’d expect.

“Oh please, lord, not now.” Risky, I doubted he’d have any tolerance for people defying his will. I scrambled for a reason he might accept. “On Mars, it’s bad luck for the groom to touch his bride before the ceremony!”

A risky lie, since he’d done some research into human custom. The alien warlord paused a moment,and I wondered if I’d pushed it too far. But he laughed and withdrew the tentacle-like appendage. “Ah, very well. It will make the wedding night all the sweeter, yes indeed.”

I managed a shaky smile. This mass-murdering monster wasn’t getting me into his bed without a fight, but unless I found an advantage, it was a fight I’d lose. At least I’d put off the touch of his disgusting tongue a while longer and bought myself more time.

What I needed was something to do with it.

Apparently satisfied, Frax turned away to wave down to newly arrived guests and made his way down to speak with them. Staying at the railing, I tried to calm my fluttering heart and looked around. I’m not sure what for—it wasn’t as though a way to escape might have miraculously opened up.

“You make Lord Frax laugh. I dislike that.” This time, I restrained my surprise, turning to face another Drangan. My lips pressed together into a tight, forced smile.Are they all fuckingninja?How does someone so bulky move so quietly?

Based on what little I knew about the species, I guessed this was a female Drangan—she stood as tall as Lord Frax, but slimmer at the shoulder and with a longer snout. The rich fabrics she wore told me she was wealthy, though none of her outfit matched. Okay, I’m not exactly a part of the high fashion set myself, but she looked like she’d just chosen whatever looked shiniest from a dozen looted warehouses. At least I know enough to pick a style and run with it.

But then, I wasn’t a giant alien warlord’s queen, at least, not yet. Maybe the rules are different? Her long snout, pierced with gold and gem studs, hung open to show off razor-sharp teeth. Beneath her golden coronet, her red eyes gleamed with suspicion and malice. She gave the impression of coiled violence about to be unleashed, all of it pointed my way.

“I’m sorry,” I tried, though I wasn’t sure what I was apologizing for. “I didn’t mean?—”

The alien interrupted with a snort. “Really? You’ve caught my husband’s eye, and more of him besides, and you didn’t mean to? Insulting my intelligence while you plot to steal my man. Such confidence.”

“You’re his?—”

Again, she didn’t let me finish. “Yes, yes, Lady Astara Frax, your rival. Do not pretend to innocence, it will not serve you. You are merely the newest morsel my husband is taking to his bed. I don’t know what he sees in you, biped, but I can overlook that. Worming your way into marriage, though,thatis where you overstep.”

I tried to speak, but no words came. My lips drew back, exposing teeth in an expression that had nothing to do with a smile.If I move right now, without warning, I can punch her right in the nose.Okay, it would be suicide, but the satisfaction might be worth it.

“I do not think she’s happy with your tone, your Excellency,” another woman said, accurate but unhelpful. With Astara’s intimidating glare holding my full attention, I hadn’t noticed her until she spoke.

Now that I looked, she made quite an impression. Her perfectly tailored dress was beautiful, though the colors were drab beside Astara’s garish combination, and she wore a silver coronet on her green-feathered head. Aside from having feathers where hair would be, I could have mistaken her for a human, and she looked at me with a cold, hard expression, weighing me and finding me wanting.

She had a striking face like a bird of prey, narrow with high cheekbones and a piercing gaze. Nothing about her manner was friendly or welcoming, and her ice-blue eyes had all the warmth of the Martian ice caps.

The feathers gave her away as a Vehn, the species that used to rule this sector of space before their empire imploded so spectacularly. This was the first time I’d met one, and seeing the look in her eyes, I wished I hadn’t.

“We thought,sister,you would appreciate a word of warning as you join our family.” Her voice was as cold as comet ice. “To survive as a wife of Lord Frax, you need friends, and Lady Astara is the most valuable friend you can have. She is his principal wife.”

Of course the asshole is already married. Twice.Ellara hadn’t mentioned that little detail, not that it made any difference. Forcing a smile onto my face, I tried for a friendly tone. “Your Excellencies, I think we got off on the wrong foot. I swear, I’m not here to cause you any trouble.”

Lady Frax smiled. Or maybe it was a threat display—it involved showing off a lot of teeth, anyway.

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