Page 27 of Stealing Jia

“No. Zarek has arrived,”Trayon groused.

Oh goodie.

The ground heaved and an enormous crater suddenly appeared. Buildings toppled into it.

Cold fear skittered up my spine. Not good. I picked up Pepe. “Are those shields down yet?”

Kaboom!Flames roared from the crater.

Little bodies unexpectedly clung to me.

“What? Who?”

“No leave us. No leave us.” A glittering blue light surrounded me. I caught a fleeting glimpse of a fireball rolling toward us and poof! I was standing on an icy cold transporter platform and Trayon was staring at me in astonishment.

Chapter Six

“What are you staring at?”

Trayon pointed at my legs.“Do not move!”

I looked down and gasped. I knew I had picked up some hitchhikers, but wow. There was a brown snake with a crocodile’s head and bright blue eyes coiled around my left thigh. A baby dinosaur chewed on my right pants leg. “Merda!”

Pepe cautiously sniffed them. “Me like.”

I guess that was a good thing. I had to admit the little dinosaur was cute as a bug.

The Askole drew an enormous sword. “I will kill the vermin.”

“What? Stop!” I threw my hands out. “We don’t kill babies.”

“It is a Rodan. None can be allowed to live.”

“It’s a baby.”I stiffened as something moved in my hair. Had I picked up an alien version of lice too?

“Our law is quite specific. All must be destroyed.”Trayon advanced toward me.

The Rodan whimpered and tightened its grip on my leg.

Pepe growled menacingly. “No hurt.”

I pulled my laser pistol. “You harm one scale on that kid’s head, and I’ll shoot you.”

“The Rodan have your brother.”

“So, you think this baby is the mastermind behind his kidnapping?”

Trayon’s tentacles knotted. “I am your mate, and you will obey me. Lower your weapon.”

“I guess you haven’t heard, but Earth women aren’t good at following orders and I’m not your mate.”

Trayon tapped his gauntlet.“Your weapons have been disabled.”

I pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Cazzo! There was no way I could take Trayon in hand-to-hand combat.

“It will be a quick and merciful death.”

Murder was merciful? My temper flared to life and I dropped into a combat stance.I knew it was a dumb move, but I had to do something.

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