Page 11 of Grumpy Alien Bodyguard

I stare at him, my lips parting as I try to speak. My voice comes out in a croak. “Why?”

He grins, a dazzling, smug thing that should be obnoxious but somehow isn’t. “Because,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “Iam here!”

I blink, my brain short-circuiting. “Who the hell are you?”

“Varnok the Annihilator,” he says, his brow ridges arching high on his face. “But you can call me… your next lover.”

I cough, blood spilling from my lips. My body feels like it’s about to give out, the pain and exhaustion finally catching up to me.

“You’re out of your goddamn mind,” I sputter, my vision fading to black.

The last thing I see is his grin, smug and unshaken, as the darkness takes me.

CHAPTER 6

VARNOK

Ifrown as the ambassador’s eyes flutter shut. “Wait a minute,” I mutter, my voice low and gravelly. “Humans aren’t supposed to bleed out of their nose and ears. You need medical attention!”

I scan the room, my sharp eyes landing on the human woman crouched over the fallen Reaper. She’s holding a tissue regeneration unit, her hands trembling as she tries to patch up her monstrous captor. I stride over, my heavy boots thudding against the metal floor, and snatch the device from her grip.

“I’ll take that,” I say, not bothering to wait for her protest. I flick the switch, and the surgery stick hums to life, its Zerberu-class Theta waves already working their magic on Quinn’s battered body.

Her breathing steadies, the color returning to her pale cheeks. Her eyes flutter open, and she blinks up at me, dazed but alive. “You’re real,” she murmurs, her voice soft and groggy.

Our gazes lock, and for a moment, the chaos of the room fades into the background. She’s stunning, even bruised and bloodied, and I feel a jolt of something I haven’t felt in a long time. I shake it off, my Vakutan discipline kicking in. Now’s not the time.

“Stay here,” I say, my voice firm but not unkind. I gently lower her into Reku’s throne, the oversized seat dwarfing her small frame. She looks up at me, her blue eyes wide and questioning, but I don’t have time to explain.

I turn, my hand tightening around the hilt of the power blade. The plasma beam ignites with a sharp hiss, the white-hot light casting long shadows across the room. Daria scrambles back, her eyes wide with fear, but I’m not here for her.

Reku’s on the floor, his massive body twitching as his regeneration kicks in. He’s not down for long, and I’m not about to give him the chance to get back up. I step over him, the power blade humming in my hand, and plant a boot on his chest.

The human woman—Daria—throws herself over Reku’s body, her arms spread wide like she’s trying to shield a mountain. Her red mohawk is matted with sweat, and her eyes are wild, desperate. “Don’t kill him!” she screams, her voice cracking. “Please!”

I lower the power blade, the plasma beam flickering out with a hiss. “He’s your captor,” I say, my voice flat, confused. “He’s a Reaper. He’s amonster.”

“He’s my soul!” she cries, tears streaming down her face. Her hands clutch at Reku’s chest, her fingers digging into the black, spiked skin. “He’s my jalshagar. I can’t lose him. Iwon’t.”

I stare at her, my scales itching with discomfort. Jalshagar. The word hits me like a plasma bolt to the chest. I’ve heard the stories, the legends. Two bodies, one soul. A bond that defies logic, reason, even sanity. And here it is, staring me in the face—a human woman willing to die for the monster who enslaved her.

I turn off the power blade and slide it back into its holster. “Fine,” I grunt, turning my back on them. “He’s your problem now.”

Quinn wobbles to her feet, her hand gripping my arm for balance. Her skin is soft, warm, and I feel a jolt of somethingprimal, something I haven’t felt in a long time. I push it down, hard. Now’s not the time.

“Can you walk?” I ask, my voice gruff but not unkind.

“I’ll try,” she says, her voice shaky but determined. She takes a step, then another, leaning on me more than she probably wants to admit. Her skin brushes against mine, and I feel my cock twitch. I grit my teeth, forcing my body to behave. Focus, Varnok. Focus.

We’re almost to the door when Quinn stops, her hand tightening on my arm. “Wait,” she says, her voice sharp. “You can’t just leave her here!”

I glance back at Daria, still crouched over Reku, her body trembling. “I can’t take her either,” I say, my voice low. “There are no good endings here.”

Quinn’s eyes narrow, her lips pressing into a thin line. “She’s a victim, Varnok. She needs help.”

“She’s jalshagar,” I snap, my patience wearing thin. “She’s not going anywhere without him. And I’m not dragging a Reaper back to the Alliance. End of discussion.”

Quinn opens her mouth to argue, but I cut her off with a sharp look. “Let’s go,” I say, pulling her toward the door. “Before more of them show up.”

---