Page 16 of The Alien Who Saved Christmas
“Women are not extinct!” She reiterated and then quickly lowered her tone. “Look, my point is, if they were less toxic, maybe your ‘males’ would have an easier time getting dates. That’s all I’m saying.”
He paused for a beat too long, considering her words. “Do you have a male, back in your universe?”
“Not since last summer. There was a whole big thing, with my ex and his high school girlfriend getting back together at a waterpark. We broke up.” She waved Wesley aside, because he’d never been that interesting. “You’re the only man in my life, big guy.”
Xane’s eyes jumped to hers.
“It’s best that we stay together.” She pointed out logically. “I don’t think anybody else is going to help you, and you need help.”
Two sets of clawed fingers drummed on the tabletop, as if he was irritated by the insinuation that he required care. He wasalwayskind of irritated, though. “You should focus on acquiring a husband.”
“Huh?” Sadie squinted at that non sequitur.
“Countless men will be vying to save you from your bad decisions.” He sounded exasperated that she didn’t know that. “Pick a mate from some wealthy planet. He will pay your way off of Corono. If you will not consider getting paid for sex, you should consider marriage.”
She scoffed at that insane idea. “Thanks, but I think I’ll take a hard pass on being a mail-order bride to Thanos.”
“Whoever that is, you do not need to accept him. Choose another. You can chooseanyone. Kings and emperors. You are a one-in-a-million find. There is an endless supply of rich males who will give you whatever you wish.”
“I just wish to get off this planet and go home. So do you, right?”
“Yes. But my options are more limited than yours.”
“Says who?”
“Everyone! How do you not know this?”
She shrugged. “On Earth, I come from a town called Toledo. In Toledo, we don’t wait around for rich guys to save us. We do it ourselves.”
“On your own, you are sure to die.” He predicted sourly.
“But I’m not on my own, now. I have you!” She flashed Xane her best and brightest, “I’m a super-rare woman, don’t you wanna hang out with me?” grin. “So, how about you listen to my idea? We team up and rescue each other.”
His turquoise gaze came back to hers and held steady for another long moment. “Why me?” He finally asked.
“I have really good instincts about people. Did I tell you that? That’s why I bought you at the auction. I got this feeling like… together we would be better than we are alone. Do you feel that, too?”
Xane stared at her.
“I trust you.” She summarized, because he still seemed baffled. “I think I’m safe with you. I’ve never felt so sure aboutanyonebefore. That has to mean something.”
“You’re serious about this.” He decided, like he hadn’t been completely positive until now. “It isn’t a trick, or a lack of options, or the drugs confusing my mind. You’re just… crazy.”
“I’m not crazy. It all makes sense, if you think about it.”
“It doesn’t make sense.No. I’m a Rtaharion. No one trusts me. No one feels safe with me. No one with an ounce of sense, anyway.”
She waved that aside. “We want the same thing, Xane.”
He chuckled in some dark and humorless way. “Oh, I doubt that.”
“Well, you want off this rock, right?”
“Yes.”
“So do I! And you’ve seen that I have the Lithium’s flying saucer, right?”
“Lythions.”
