Page 49 of Alien's Luck
She shook off his grip and rushed to Ari’s side. He was breathing and his skin wasn’t broken from the bite. “How contagious is that thing? Is Ari going to be okay?”
“Unfortunately. Khargals have thick skin.” Kronkee looked furious, his quills pressed flat against his skull. “You were told to wear the flower.”
“I did. This… thing, a fluffy little thief, took it.” She pointed to the trees, like the little thief was hanging around. Maybe it was.
“It was foolish of you to allow it to be stolen.”
Tearing into this guy seemed like a mighty fine idea, even though it ruined the ruse of her being a meek human pet. Ari’s groans distracted her long enough to get her temper under control.
“Thank you,” she said, helping him sit up. Rubbing her hand in the middle of his back between his wings, she reassured herself that her gargoyle remained bite- and scratch -free. She spoke to Kronkee. “You never answered me about how contagious that thing is.”
“The medics will examine him.” Kronkee clapped his hands—literally clapped his hands like this was some old movie. Then again, he was dressed like a budget -friendly Fantasy Island, so that scanned.
Still not an answer.
A bot arrived with a stretcher. Ari refused to climb on, insisting that he walk. Kronkee maintained that it was too far. Back and forth, blah blah.
They’d be there for hours with all the posturing and dick measuring. Better save them all some time.
“Can we not? I’m tired, and the sun isn’t helping,” Carla said. She climbed into the cart. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
She didn’t.
ARI
This was not the plan.
“I need to stay with Carla,” he said.
“You need to do as you’re told,” a guard said, slapping a cuff on his wrists. With the assistance of another guard, they took him by either arm and were not gentle as they forced him into a cart.
A female Nakkoni in a white coat approached. “Wow. You’re a big one.”
“Undo this,” Ari demanded, raising his bound hands.
“Hmm, no. Not until you get that bite checked out. Bites are very serious,” she said, her tone sing-songy like she spoke to a child.
Ari did not appreciate being patronized. Only Carla had permission to speak to him in such a manner. “I know that bites are very serious. I do not need to be restrained.”
“Hmm, you do. Until we know if you are infected, the cuffs stay.” The female gestured and the guards climbed into the cart on either side of him, making the space uncomfortably tight.
Ari flexed, twisting the metal, hoping to break them.
“None of that now.” The female dropped the singsong affectation. “Cease or be sedated.”
“Your needles will break?—”
Ari did not have a chance to finish his statement as a mask was slapped over his face. Sweet -smelling fumes clouded his senses, and he found himself lacking the motivation to move.
“My apologies. My phrasing made that sound like a choice. It was not.”
CHAPTER 15
CARLA
The cart roared up the road, kicking up dirt and gravel. Carla clung onto the overhead canopy with one hand and the other clutched at the dashboard. This thing was a deathtrap, barely anything more substantial than a metal shell over a lawnmower engine, with no seat belts, no door to stop her from falling out, and it was going way too fast.
When the dirt road evened out, she glanced over her shoulder to check that the other cart followed. It wasn’t close, but it was there. Good. She disliked being separated from Ari and worried about the bite. This was an incredibly dangerous situation, and he was there because of her, and she liked him. Genuinely liked him. People drifted in and out of her life all the time, but she wasn’t ready to let him go.
