Page 9 of The Alien's Stolen Rebel

Still he paused to meet my gaze with a smirk that made me blush. “I am Kreel Amzar, pirate, adventurer, and now captain of theStarshadow.”

With that, he grabbed the gilded controls and got to work. I looked out of the window, trying to ignore the waves of warmth Kreel sent through me. Seeing Caliban station from the outside was almost enough of a distraction. Even damaged as it was, it was stunning, coils of bejeweled metal twisting around and through each other. True, some coils ended in ragged stumps while great tears left others open to space, but none of that changed the intricate workmanship of the station. It took my breath away.

I didn’t have time to stare for long before the guardsliterallytried to take my breath away. The ship shook as weapons fire struck and bounced off the diamond hull. I swallowed and shrank back into my chair.

“Do not fear.” Kreel’s growl wasn’t so much reassurance as a command, but somehow, it helped where reassurance wouldn’t have.

“Fear is a perfectly rational response to being shot at,” I said, snapping at him. Okay, maybe it worked by pissing me off, but better that than a panic attack, right? “Get us out of here, damn it.”

He snarled right back, pushing the throttle forward, and the rattling of metal-on-hull stopped as we left the shooters behind.

The jump forward didn’t last more than a second, leaving us coasting out into open space. My face paled as I understood his reluctance—close to the station, we could hide in the chaotic mix of metals, wreckage, and radiation. The further out we got, the easier we’d be to target.

“How long until the hyperdrive’s ready to go?”

The alien shrugged. “Not long, but it depends on whether we need the power for other things, like the shields.”

His matter-of-fact delivery didn’t help me deal with my anger. “We’re going to die, aren’t we? Fuck my life.”

For the first time, Kreel focused on me. A piratical grin lit up his face. It’s an expression that’s incredibly sexy on a holovid, and a good deal less comforting than I’d have preferred in real life.

It wasstillsexy, unfortunately. His smile sent a shiver through me, and I could hardly keep my breathing steady as my heart raced.

“I do not believe he will try to kill you,” the annoyingly attractive alien said. When I laughed bitterly, he frowned. “I am not joking, human. Frax has plans which need you as his wife. If you die in this escape, it will be by accident.”

“Great. At least my killer will get in trouble with his boss.” I pulled my gaze away from his distracting silver face. “I’d guess that’s something, but I’d as soon not get shot. Or caught.”

“I didn’t force you aboard this ship,” he grumbled. “Stop complaining—without me, they’d have caught you already.”

“Without you, I’d have slipped away unnoticed. You’re the one who brought Frax’s security down on our heads.”

As if to underscore my point, four thumps echoed through the yacht’s hull. I looked around wildly, as though Frax’s thugs might have punched straight through to the bridge. Kreel’s reaction was more practical. He leaped to his feet and rushed back toward the ramp with shocking speed for such a big man.

“Stay.” He snapped the single word command at me as I stood to follow him. Before I could object, he was gone.

I’m not his fucking dog,I told myself, following anyway. If the attackers got aboard, I’d lose my only chance to get home. The only way to help myself was to make sure he won whatever fight he found.

Which had nothing to do with the pain in my heart at the thought of him getting hurt.

6

KREEL

Iheard Rachel follow me and snarled, but wasted no time telling her to go back. She’d ignored one command already. There was no reason to believe she’d obey a new one. Better to focus on the coming fight—wasting time worrying would only get us both killed.

Not so. I would die, and our enemies would force her to go through with the marriage. I’m not sure which fate is worse.

Our enemy cut my time to think short, the ramp lowering with a hiss of escaping air before the airshield flickered on. It kept us from being sucked out into the hungry void, but it did nothing to stop an attacker wearing an armored spacesuit pulling himself aboard. More swarmed behind him, waiting for their chance.

Surprised to find me right on top of him, the first attacker still swung up his boarding gun with commendable speed. It wasn’t enough. My hand caughthold of the weapon, pushing it aside as I smashed into him. His finger convulsed on the trigger, sending a hail of pellets into the wall.

Before he could recover, I slammed my head into his visor, which cracked under the impact. My foe tumbled back through the airshield, air leaking through the broken glass, forcing him to let go of his gun and scramble for suit patches. I kept hold of his weapon, swinging its muzzle around to the nearest enemy.

My target hardly had time to react before I shoved the muzzle through the forcefield and against his helmet. He’d just begun his dodge when I pulled the trigger and his head disintegrated.

His comrade fired, pouring shots through the opening with wild abandon. I pulled back quickly, but not fast enough to avoid a glancing shot.

Only a few pellets struck me, but that was enough to send me spinning back, gouges torn out of my right arm. Another guard popped into view, taking advantage of the moment.

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