Unexpected by J.J. Lore Read Free Book Online Page B

and his brows pricked up when he took in their
tableau. “It’s regrettable you have been involved in yet another irregular
incident. I thought you understood my wishes for you to behave without
reproach.”
    “Commandant
Ivar Offen , I’d like to introduce Alisa Sorrel.
She’s—”
    “I’m
aware of her identity.” Their commander barely glanced at her. “She will need
to go back to the compound immediately. One of the centurions outside will take
her.”
    “Sir,
we can take her—”
    “No,
you are both to remain.” Commandant Offen glared at
them, irritation at their fumble clear in the way he frowned and furrowed his
brow.
    “Why?”
    “Because the local sheriff needs a
report from you, and another human arrived with many questions and forms. An insurance
adjuster, I believe he called himself.”
    ****
    Alisa
was again at her window, not because of a noise, but because of a tickling
sense of awareness that Felix was outside, standing guard on the other side of
the fence. She knew it was him, didn’t even have to see his face to identify
that tall shadowy form. She was unable to sleep even though it was past
midnight, and her thoughts raced after all the bizarre events of the afternoon.
She’d thought spending a few hours in the Alphans ’
company would be incredibly stressful, but they’d been wonderfully attentive,
interested in what she had to say, and she had to admit she’d been impressed by
their instinctive protectiveness. No, what was bothering her now was how
unsettling the bigotry and vandalism was. She couldn’t stop thinking about how
some members of her own species would be glad to see her punished for being
seen with Mikel and Felix, as well as elated to see the Alphans banished from Earth, or even harmed. It frightened her and made her angry in
equal proportions. The men who’d courteously brought her back to the compound, Mak greeting her with sincere pleasure, and most especially
the two men who’d been so happy to give her part of their day, all these Alphans were good people. It was a strange concept, but she
couldn’t deny the evidence.
    A
trickle of unease crept along her back, and she stood, reaching for the small
com device Mikel had pressed into her hand before he and his bondmate had left
the hover to face the sheriff and the insurance claims man. She was unsure of
how it operated and studied it for a moment before pressing her finger against
a large depression in the side of the grey resin box. Tiny blue lights erupted
around the edges, and she waited for a response. Silence. She pressed the smaller dent on the other side, and pink lights raced around.
    “Hello,
Alisa.” Felix’s deep voice rumbled out, and she nearly dropped the box. “Why
aren’t you asleep?”
    “Why
aren’t you asleep?” Her slight push
back made her stand up straighter, even though no one was in the room to see.
    He
drew in a breath, and she clutched the com closer to her ear. “I wish to ensure
a peaceful evening for the inhabitants of the refuge.”
    “You
aren’t going to throw rocks at windows?”
    “No.
How did you know I was outside?” An excellent question and one she certainly
didn’t know how to answer.
    “I
wasn’t sure until now.” A lie. Felix made a humming
noise. “What about Mikel?”
    “He
rests and will relieve me in a few hours.”
    She’d
never seen them apart and found the concept odd. “You don’t have to do that.
There are all sorts of alarms and locks here.”
    “We
wish to.” The quiet certainty in his voice gave her pause. They were both so
confident and determined, so unlike how she felt most
of the time.
    “I
don’t like the idea of you being out there all night.” The thought just tumbled
out, and she immediately realized he could take it the wrong way. She wasn’t
even sure which way she meant it.
    “We
don’t have to be in contact, if that disturbs you. Mikel merely gave you the
communicator on the remote chance of an emergency situation