Free Saved by the Alien Lord: Sci-fi Alien Invasion Romance (Warriors of the Lathar Book 2) by Mina Carter Page B

and smiled.
    “And that means ‘screw you.’ You really think I will help you?”
    There were two snorts and Tarrick’s expression set. She’d insulted him in front of his senior warriors. That had to bite. No, that had to burn.
    The healer standing next to Tarrick snorted with amusement and his face split into a broad grin. “Ha! I like her.”
    “Humans,” Tarrick growled, his hard expression promising retribution. She refused to acknowledge the shiver of need that wormed its way up her spine and smiled back. What would he do if she stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at him?
    “Tell me about it.” The growled complaint came from the big warrior at the end of the table.
    His expression hovered somewhere between anger and frustration. “The males were easy to deal with. We worked over a few, showed the others the error of their ways, and they’ve been quiet as a gethal since. The women… argh! Half are refusing to eat, at least five keep trying to escape, and all of them refuse to acknowledge any warrior’s existence.”
    The healer nodded, leaning forward. His smile disappeared, replaced by concern. “He’s right. I’ve had to sedate a couple and I’m a little concerned if the fasting continues. None of them will say why they’re not eating, so I’m not sure if it’s a cultural thing with them. I’m reluctant to let it continue…so perhaps we should force feed them?”
    “You do, and they’ll make themselves vomit,” Cat broke in.
    Tarrick looked up, meeting her eyes. “Oh?”
    “It’s called a hunger strike.” She moved away from the table, her movements graceful. Her own clothing was gone when she woke this morning, replaced instead with a thin dress that looked more like a silk nightie. Far from feeling half-naked though, the inner layer of fabric molded to her figure, giving nothing away as the outer layers swirled around her, bunching around her ankles. The effect made her feel like a fairytale princess and she had to resist the urge to twirl just to swish the skirts.
    Small pleasures, she reminded herself, don’t fall prey to the bigger concerns. Deal with them, don’t panic.
    “Humans aren’t stupid, and we have a pathological allergy to being enslaved. We’d rather starve to death than be slaves. Force feed them and they’ll expel whatever you make them eat.”
    The warriors exchanged startled looks around the table, but it was the big guy who spoke, his lips curled back to display his disgust. “They’d rather die than accept the shelter we offer. How twisted and barbaric is that?”
    “It’s called free will and choice.” She shrugged again. “And you’re a fine lot to talk about barbarism. Not a benevolent superior race, are you? Rather than helping a less able race to defend itself. Rather than guide and aid…you storm in and enslave. Humans, for all our primitive and barbaric ways, outlawed slavery centuries ago.”
    The warrior snorted and she rounded on him, anger surging through her. “What if it were the other way around and you were the slave. Would you find it so acceptable then?”
    Anger flashed in his eyes and he stood to his full height, glaring down at her. “You go too far, human!”
    “Go on then, hit me.” Her lips curled back into a snarl, but she refused to back down even though he was larger. Just one punch and that would be it. She didn’t care though. Let him try, she’d go down fighting. Maybe quickly but it would be fighting. “Do whatever you want. I’m a slave, remember? No choice, no opinion. Nothing other than a soft body to fuck. Not like we’ve got brains to use, now is it?”
    “Karryl…” Tarrick’s voice snapped out in warning, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees. Karryl flopped into his seat, his expression unreadable, and Tarrick transferred his attention to Cat. Great, she’d pissed off the big-bad.
    “Go to my quarters, wait for me there.”
    “Yes, my lord .” She mock-saluted him, spun on