Page 4 of Survivor
He was beautiful.
Tall and broad-shouldered, he possessed essentially humanoid features except for the distinctive pointed ears reminiscent of an elf. His skin was sleek and, upon closer inspection, revealed an intricate mosaic of thousands of tiny scales that shimmered subtly, creating a mesmerizing texture across his body. His coloring was a glossy black, broken only by an exquisite swathe of color stretching from his left shoulder to mid-thigh. The vibrant band displayed the most breathtaking fusion of purple and teal, each hue blending seamlessly into the next in a dazzling display. His hair was thick and so dark purple that it appeared almost black under the low lights cut in a shaggy style that framed his face with an unruly elegance. His eyes were strikingly bright teal, each one featuring a narrow black slit down the center akin to a cat’s, adding an otherworldly intensity to his gaze.
I saw his lips move, the words rumbling through the translator implanted in my head, but even so, his voice held a rich, deep timber that made goosebumps break out on my skin.
“Are you all right?” He asked again, and this time, the words made purchase in my brain.
A strange question, I thought, but perhaps he felt it necessary to ask since I was basically staring at him like a horny teenager.
“Hi.” I composed myself, plastering a bright smile on my face. Shit! Why hadn’t I donned something better than the overalls I’d made from the fabric replicator and run a brush through my hair this morning before pulling it atop my head? After havingchemo-hairmost of my life, I struggled sometimes with the thick auburn locks that now adorned my head. “I’m sorry, the restaurant isn’t open yet.”
He had to be a customer. By now, I knew the faces of all my vendors, and Pearl would have mentioned if I should expect someone new.
I watched as his vibrant gaze flickered across the deserted restaurant, his eyes scanning the room with a sharp intensity that seemed to capture every detail. His muscles appeared to tense slightly, as if preparing for an unseen challenge. He wore a simple outfit—sleek leather pants that clung to his frame and a sleeveless vest that revealed the powerful strength of his arms.
When his gaze finally settled on my face, it felt as if a current of electricity surged through every nerve ending in my body. “I am not here for food.”
“Oh!” I glanced toward the doorway, but there was still no sign of the guards. Surely, they wouldn’t allow some alien serial killer to waltz in. They barely let me go to the bathroom alone. Maybe he was a new vendor. “If not food, then what can I help you with?”
His eyes narrowed into slits, and a tingling sensation skittered across my skin, like a whisper of wind carrying a hint of something ominous.
“You.” The deep voice that sounded like bourbon on gravel murmured, making it all the sexier. “I’m here for you.”
Chapter 4
Vraxxan
The human female was not at all what I expected.
She was.... beautiful.
I’d only ever seen humans on holo images. While I’d considered some of them attractive, no female I’d ever beheld—human or otherwise—compared to her.
She was diminutive and slender, almost appearing delicate, yet there was an undeniable aura of determination etched into her expression that lent her an unexpected strength. She had piled her dark red hair atop her head, but rebellious waves cascaded around her face, defying any attempt at control. Her eyes were an intriguing blend of hues—a gentle brown that seamlessly transitioned into the palest shade of green, interspersed with shimmering streaks of gold that caught the light. Her face was elegantly heart-shaped, with high, prominent cheekbones and full, inviting lips that completed her captivating visage.
Something in my chest shifted, my heart taking on an erratic beat as though the organ didn’t know how to behave around her. I felt strange in her presence, protective, but something else, something deeper that I couldn’t rightly name. I drew in a deep breath, steeling myself for the sickeningly sweet human scent that made my kind ill, determined not to vomitin front of her. When her fragrance hit my nostrils, it was... surprising. She smelled sweet but with a hint of something spicy and musky that made her aroma pleasant. I drew in another deep breath. More than pleasant, she smelled downright delicious.
The gold in her eyes had deepened when I first walked into the restaurant, and the way she gazed at me caused my cock to twitch within the confines of my leather britches. But now that I had spoken, her gaze turned wary, and a faint acridness clouded her scent. The scent of fear. I did not like it.
“What... what do you mean, you’re here for me?” She shifted her stance, muscles tensing as though preparing to bolt at any moment.
“My name is Vraxxan,” I said, using the same tone I would employ for a skittish beast. “I am here to protect you.”
“Protect me?” she snorted, finding the concept amusing.
Strange. As the lone human female on the Hanze Erreinua, I could not believe she was without protection. Granted, most of the species that called the space station home were peace-loving. Still, a lone human was not safe anywhere in the universe.
I took a deep breath, keeping my voice low and calm. My words would be frightening enough. I did not want my presence to be so. “I am here because one of my kind travels here to abduct you. I have alerted the Alliance, but it is no longer safe for you to remain on the space station.”
“No longer safe,” she repeated, snorting again, this time with a laugh at the end. “How can I not be safe? There are a dozen guards outside the restaurant.”
“Guards?” A chill of foreboding crept over my spine, making my scales twitch. “There were no guards outside the restaurant.”
Her eyes flashed wide for a moment before she composed herself. “Vaktaire and Aljani warriors are guarding both the front and rear entrances.”
I shook my head slowly, noticing the acridness of her scent increasing. “I saw no Vaktaire or Aljani males when I arrived.” I’d noticed plenty of Verdesians, Romvesians, Osrakut and Ilyiakikts, but no warrior species save a lone Kaelaks in the space dock.
Confusion blanched her pale face further. “I don’t understand....”
