Page 41 of Alien's Challenge
“I’m sure growing all the new scales and feathers takes a lot of energy.” As a teenager, Alice had been constantly hungry.
“It is better today,” he said. His foot bumped into hers under the table.
Perrigaul slung himself onto the bench next to Faris. “We are refueled. Now finish stuffing your face and let’s leave. The guards are paying too much attention to the registration of the transport, and I have a terrible feeling that they are honest.”
“Honest just means they require a large bribe,” Faris said. “Alice requires equipment. We cannot leave yet.”
“It’s fine,” she said. The clothes the innkeeper sold to her were warm and fit well enough with the sleeves and legs cuffed. Fashionable? Not a chance.
Perrigaul gave her a cutting look. “Spending our credits again,” he complained.
Faris’ short quills went flat. “Spending my share of the credits. You have a problem with that?”
Perrigaul slurped his soup, his eyes never leaving Alice. “No problem at all. Be careful parading your pet human around. Randevere is offering a nice bounty for her return.”
Alice ignored him, chewing on her delicious slice of bread because she would not let a grumpy dick ruin that for her.
Finding clothes proved harder. Not built like a giant, lacking four arms or a tail, clothing just wasn’t made for a two-armed, tail-less biped humanoid like herself. Perrigaul complained the entire time, because of course he did. One shop referred her to another because they were “her kind,” whatever that meant.
Apparently, it meant human.
Alice’s eyes adjusted to the dim interior of the shop. Little more than a corrugated metal and plastic sheeting, the building was filled with heaps of clothes. There didn’t seem to be an order to the chaos, just piles of used clothing on tables.
Perrigaul made a frustrated noise and loudly announced that he had better things to accomplish than watch Alice spend all their money.
“A human!” A woman appeared from behind a curtain. She had a friendly face, and she was entirely human. A large, stone-gray alien followed her. Don’t-fuck-with-me vibes rolled off of him but the woman smiled and patted him on the arm.
Excitement vibrated through Alice. Another human. The loneliness of being so isolated lifted for a moment.
“Where did they dig you up?” the woman asked.
“Oh, I was, umm, in storage,” she answered.
“Recently defrosted. Nice to meet you. Jasmina.” She thrust her hand out.
“Alice Serrano.”
“And this is?” Jasmina nodded toward Faris.
“My mate…Alice requires appropriate garments. Sturdy boots, trousers, warm items, comfortable items, a heavy coat that will allow her to move easily, and all the usual smaller items,” he said, rattling off a shopping list.
“I don’t need much,” Alice said. Perrigaul’s stingy words came back. She owed Faris so much. She’d never be able to pay him back.
Jasmine gave Alice a wary look but continued to pluck items off a nearby pile. “If he’s paying, let him. We don’t need you lurking, by the way,” she said, directing her words to Faris.
“I will not leave my…Alice,” Faris said.
“Then stand outside. The shop isn’t big enough for you to follow us around and my mate is standing guard.” The large gray alien made a noise that could have been interpreted as agreement. He stood at the back of the shop, as unobtrusive as possible.
Faris’ short quills flexed up and down. “Very well. I will be outside the entrance.”
Jasmina held a few items up to Alice, measuring by sight. She shook her head, tossing it aside, and plucked an oatmeal-colored sweater off the top. “Possessive aliens. They’re allmy matethis andmy matethat. Give a girl some space, right?”
“It’s not like that,” Alice said.
“Not like what?” Jasmina asked. Her arms were full of garments for Alice to try on.
“We’re bonded,” Alice whispered. It wasn’t a secret, but she had overheard Perrigaul and Faris’ conversation. Being bonded seemed like an accusation, like something that she should casually discuss with strangers.
