Page 43 of Alien's Challenge
Yeah, no. She didn’t trust that guy at all, and he mentioned that Randevere had a bounty on her. Maybe she needed to get out in front of the problem instead of waiting for the inevitable betrayal and take the help Jasmina offered.
Or Jasmina could be the friendly face to lure naïve women into bad situations.
“Thanks for the advice,” Alice said, taking the bags.
Jasmina grabbed her wrist. “You’re not alone. This place is…not good. Helping each other is how we keep our humanity.”
“How long have you been here?” Alice searched the woman’s face, as if the fine lines around her eyes would give her that answer.
“I was one of the first to wake up. Like I said, I was lucky.”
Alice believed her, about everything. Maybe she was a sap or too trusting, but Jasmina wanted to help. “Thanks, really. If he’s not who I think he is, I’ll be back,” she said.
Faris
His presence in the shop made the human female uncomfortable, so he guarded the entrance. Though they spoke in quiet tones, he caught snippets of Alice’s and the female’s conversation.
He did not like it. He wanted to know what Alice said but demanding to be informed would confirm the worst about what the female Jasmina said abouthis kind. If there had been another merchant to outfit Alice, they would have left.
He was loath to imagine the poison the female dripped into Alice’s ear, but she required a properly fitting coat more than he needed his ego swaddled. Let Jasmina say what she would. His actions proved his sincerity. Alice understood that.
Faris spotted a shadow lurking in an alley. Darting forward, he grabbed the figure by the throat and slammed him against the building. The male’s tail thumped against the wall.
“Perrigaul,” he snarled.
“I can’t breathe,” the male croaked. Faris released him and he rubbed his throat, giving Faris a harsh glare. “What was that for?”
“Human sympathizers,” Faris said. “You brought us to a trading post full of human sympathizers.”
“We needed fuel.” His tail went still.
“There are other trading posts.”
“Worried that your pet human will run away?”
Faris slammed Perrigaul against the wall again, this time squeezing his throat until he heard a gurgling noise. “Alice is not a pet. You yourself said she is my bonded mate. You will give her the respect she is due.”
The male clawed at Faris’ grip, trying to pry off his fingers. It was no good. Faris was taller and stronger than Perrigaul. The advantage was his.
Perrigaul raised his legs and kicked, landing a solid blow. His back talons punctured Faris’ thigh, the new scales not hard enough to deflect.
Faris hissed in pain and dropped Perrigaul. “You fight dirty.”
“I learned from the best.”
The two males rubbed their respective wounds.
“You are worried, that’s why you skulk outside the shop,” Perrigaul said.
“I am worried that she will be taken against her will. If she chooses to leave…” His voice faded, unwilling to consider. He knew the depth of his emotions for her, but Alice kept her feelings well-guarded. Perhaps she did not feel the connection between them, or she was unwilling to tie herself to a disfigured male such as himself.
Faris cleared his throat. “If she chooses to leave, I will respect her decision.”
An alert chimed from Perrigaul’s communicator. Looking at the screen, his quills went flat. “We need to go. Now.”
“What have you done?”
“Nothing.”
