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I hate that he can smell me; it makes finding a hiding place a useless option. I run for the opposite exit, stripping off the loose button down that’s layered over my coveralls. As I pass a bedroom door, I chuck the clothing inside and hope he gets confused. His footsteps stomp through the living room while I slip inside the pantry, which has an entrance of its own for storing crops fresh from the field. But as I’m throwing open my escape exit, my pursuer has spied me from the kitchen.
“Female!” he shouts, sprinting through the pantry door. “I’m not here to cause any harm!”
I pause on the threshold to shoot at him, but I make a run for it. He curses a storm in Zaledian, colorful things that seem meaningless in translation. It doesn’t seem I’ve hit him, because when I check over my shoulder, he’s barreling towards me at a frightening pace.
Realizing I can’t outrun him, I whip around abruptly and fire repeatedly. His armor catches my blaster fire, sending sparks up, but he’s on me too quickly. But then, he’s close enough to line his head into the viewfinder.
His tail lashes out to catch my wrist before I can pull the trigger.
“Look here, I didn’t plan on being shot today.” He hauls me toward him by the grip of his tail. He snatches the weapon from me and tosses it to the dirt. I try to break away, but it feels like my shoulder’s about to tear off when he starts to drag me by my upper arm.
“Like I said, I just wanna talk.”
“Let go of me!” I punch and kick at him as he drags me back the way we came. There’s a bag on the ground where I first ran from him. He must’ve dropped it while in pursuit. He easily keeps hold of me while rummaging through it, even as I try to chomp down on his arm with my teeth.
“Ugh, you humans are all the same.” He yanks my hair, causing me to cry out in pain. “Stop fussing. If you tell me something helpful, you won’t have to get hurt, understand?”
He pulls a metallic cord out of his bag. I struggle harder at the sight of it, my thoughts spiraling to relive my captivity.
“No, no,” I murmur. “Please just leave me alone. I won’t mention you were here at all.”
“And why wereyouhere, human?” He demands, throwing the metal ropes around my arms.
“Don’t tie me up,” I beg him. “Please… I… I’m friends with the girl who owns the farm, and I was just checking on it. That’s all. I don’t want any problems with you.”
“Who said we had problems? We can be good friends, you and I.” He’s grinning, showing me the yellowing fangs in his mouth. “You know Raina Jones well?”
“We’re neighbors.”
“You said you’re friends.”
“Yeah, we’re friendly. She’s been gone for a while, and I told her I’d look in on her property.”
“Then I guess you know she got mated to an alien. Exciting news for a good friend, right? Did you attend the ceremony? Meet the lucky male?” He twists my arm as he maneuvers me to the floor in the act of tying my legs. “If you answer me honestly and quickly, then maybe we won’t have to continue this conversation on my ship, hm?”
I shiver all over, cowardly as I am. Memories of being taken the first time wash over me, as well as the harsh reality that I’d do anything to avoid that fate again. If this happened to Raina, she sure as hell wouldn’t be in my position right now.
“No,” I say. “She never came back. She j-just told me she w-was in love with an alien, okay? What do you want from me?”
When he lifts his weight off me, I squirm but find myself uselessly immobile. He keeps an eye on me as he fiddles with his comm device. I watch him back, wondering if there’s some way to outsmart him right now. Then, as he bends toward me with his device in my face, I realize he’s taking a photo. I whip my head around to avoid him, but he grabs my jaw and snaps the picture.
“Cooperate,” he grouches at me, tapping his screen. Then into the receiver, he addresses the unknown partner he was speaking with before he sniffed me out. “Look into the female I’m sending you facial capture on… Because I don’t intend to bring her with me if she’s useless. Mm, alright. Let me know.”
He looks down at me and smiles.
“What are you neglecting to tell me, hm? Do you know where Raina Jones is?”
My main plan is to stall, because if Raffa can get the sheriff here soon, this whole situation will be dealt with.
“You asked me that already,” I spit back at him. “And I already answered you.”
That sickly grin he’s wearing has my stomach in knots.
“This will be easier on you if you’re nice to me, little thing—”
The unmistakable whizzing of an air bike at top speed comes closer. My hearts jumps into my throat.
Raffa. No, no, I beg the universe.Don’t let him be here right now.
