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No, the first step was food. A good, filling meal was bound to do her good. I gave one last longing look at the woman, imprinting the image of her into my brain. Her full, rosy lips and the slight flush at her cheeks. Her curvy hips and shiny dark hair that looked impossibly soft. Even the curve of her neck was magnificent, as though someone had carefully crafted this creature with impossible precision.
I turned away, trying to force myself to focus on the meal that I had promised her. I poured the stew into two bowls, carrying them over to her. I sat the bowls down beside her, letting them cool while I waited for her to wake.
She stirred easily, sniffing the air. Bracing her arms and pushing herself to sit upright, she looked at the bowl next to her, and then back at me, as if asking for unspoken permission.
I handed her the meal, stunned once again by those dark, vibrant eyes.
“Careful, it might be hot,” I warned, feeling a bit tongue-tied. The words sounded silly as they came out of my mouth, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
She flashed me a grateful smile, taking the bowl. She pursed her lips, blowing across the surface to cool it. I stared until she noticed, her eyes darting to meet mine. I quickly averted my gaze, feeling embarrassed at being caught.
Trying to move past the awkwardness, I picked up my bowl as well. I settled down beside her, eating my food. We took slow, tentative bites at first, careful not to burn our mouths.
She was the first one to break the silence. “I’m surprised you speak English,” she remarked. “I wouldn’t think aliens knew our language.”
“I didn’t,” I admitted. “Not until I came to Terra. Or Earth, as you call it. I’ve been here for five years. I guess you could say that I’ve picked it up, over time.”
She nodded and took another bite. “Thank you for the meal.” Her voice dipped down to a soft whisper. “I was starving, to be honest.”
“Eating is important to your recovery.” But it felt like more than that, like I cared more about providing for her, and I was proud I’d made her happy. “You took a rather nasty spill. You need your energy so that your body can mend.”
She lifted one hand and gingerly felt her head. It was slow and methodical, but she still winced when she reached a spot that I assumed was particularly sore. Her hair covered the area, limiting the potential of a thorough examination, but I imagined it was bruised and tender.
“What is your name?” I blurted out. The words surprised even me, wondering why I was so interested in this woman.
“Claire.” Her voice was hoarse, but somehow sensual. The sound of it seemed to wrap around me, enveloping me in its warmth. “What’s yours?”
“Athos.” I lifted my head to meet her eyes, losing myself in her gaze.
“Where did you come from? Before… before Terra. Why are you here?”
I hesitated. It was a valid question, but one that I didn’t want to go into. It was a complicated subject by itself, but particularly to discuss with someone I didn’t know. I bought myself some time by taking another large bite of food and chewing in silence.
When my mouth was clear, I was no more eager to face the topic. Instead, I veered to another topic.
“I will be truthful with you if you are truthful with me.”
I could face my past, if it brought me new information. And I did mean it. If she answered my questions honestly, I would consider opening up to her. But first, there were some things that I had to know.
“Who were those men hunting me?” I asked. “Why were they here?”
They had attacked me first, and I had no choice but to defend myself. I didn’t feel good about it, however. I hoped that whatever she said next would put my conscience to rest.
She paused, her bowl of stew frozen in mid-air. She recovered quickly, taking another bite of food, but I’d noticed her hesitation. Her eyes gave away her uncertainty, and I knew that she was formulating an answer in her mind.
But I didn’t want a prepared response. I wanted the truth.
“If you lie, I will know, and it won’t be pretty for you.”
The words tasted bitter in my mouth. I didn’t like intimidating anyone, and especially not her, but I didn’t know that I could trust her. She had been with those men, after all.
The guarded look on her face dropped away, and she sighed.
“Okay, it’s like this. We work for IMRA. The International Monster Research Association. My job is to hunt down aliens on Earth, so that they can be collected and safely removed. That way, they’ll no longer pose a danger to humans.”
My mouth dropped open in surprise. I had hidden myself away, here on the mountain, to avoid bothering the humans. I resented her implication that I was a threat to anyone’s well-being. In fact, killing those two IMRA men had been the first time I’d been a danger to anyone, and it was only because they’d come looking for me in the first place!
“I’ve never been a danger to your species.” My voice barely concealed my anger at the accusation. “In fact, the only involvement I have with humans is when I occasionally sneak into the nearby towns and farms. I avoid humans entirely, and only make such trips to sate my curiosity. I learned your language and much about your culture from items I found lying about, particularly things abandoned carelessly. But I never threatened or harmed anyone, until you arrived with the intention of harming me.”
