Free Alien Intent (Captured by Aliens Book 3) by Jaide Fox Page B

knew well. “I guess she didn’t want to give you
a chance to stop her.”
    Huffing,
Samara crossed her arms over her chest. “She’s right. I would have. She say why
she had a sudden change of heart?”
    Shrugging,
Cyndy said, “Guess we’ll have to wait and ask her that. She’s supposed to be
back today. Maybe we should start worrying he took her off and dumped her
somewhere so he didn’t have to deal with the headache. She did say she wanted
to explore our new home.”
    “I heard
that too, but I thought she meant the city. That girl’s insane, going off with
a stranger in an alien world. I don’t like it. I say let’s go find where this
Captain Tagnon is stationed and check up on him. Surely he’s got to report to
someone of higher rank. It’s almost lunch time and my cousin’s been gone twenty-four
hours. I’m not waiting until they drag back a dead body. There’s got to be some
protocol in place!”
    “Let’s
ask the guards here. We’re not prisoners, right?” Cyndy asked, getting to her
feet with her friend.
    “I’m not
above ordering one of them to show me headquarters,” Samara said, leading the
way out of the extensive quarters and into the marbled hallway that lead past
lush, exotic gardens. Beside a double set of metal doors stood their victim,
garbed in a high collared black uniform. He held a silver staff with prongs on
one end. It reminded her vaguely of a cattle prod, and irritated her with the
idea that she and the other women were merely chattel in this place.
    “You,”
she said, pointing at the guard. His eyes widened.
    “Yes,
madam?” he said.
    “What’s
your name?” Samara asked, feeling Cyndy quietly standing behind her backing her
up. Two against one was better odds in any situation, even a verbal attack if
he chose to resist.
    He
cleared his throat. “I am called Grail Arkane.”
    She
grinned, batting her lashes. “I’m Samara. This is Cyndy. I’m glad you’re not
one of those stuffy soldiers that’s all rigid and proper about procedure. We
need your help. I need to know where Captain Tagnon is stationed. It’s
important, so don’t think about not answering. We have ways of making you talk.”
She giggled, hoping he thought her jokes were funny enough to get the stick out
of his butt.
    Cyndy
elbowed her ribs.
    Grail
looked torn about giving her the information, but finally relented with her
most stunning smile. “He is usually at the zhala stables. On the edge of the
city. It is unwise to travel there alone, however.”
    “Why is
that?” she asked.
    “As
females, you are precious and rare—highly sought after,” he said, measuring his
words.
    She
refrained from narrowing her eyes at him in a sour face that would set up his
guard again, but his careful wording gave her pause. Desperate men could be dangerous,
and it made her worry even more for Jasmine. She had to trust that no one would
harm her. These people needed them alive and willing, right?
    Cyndy
twirled her hair, eyeing him up and down like a choice piece of beef. “Perhaps,
since you’ve been so helpful, you could get special permission to escort us.
Princess Adrienne said we had run of the palace and city. We would love to see
the zhala and other sights with a handsome guard like yourself.”
    He nodded,
his eyes slightly glazed as he looked down at her. “I can call it in.”
    ***
    “Sleep
well?” Dar asked as she came down the stairs. The fire had burned down to ashes,
and he sat at the table, munching on nuts.
    “Wonderfully,”
she lied, going to the sink to wash her face.
    “Better
than I did, I’m sure. I had a stiff leg. Kept me up all night.” He made a
pained face and rubbed his upper thigh.
    She
snorted, rolling her eyes. “Funny.”
    “I try.”
    “I’ll
have to remember you’re a bundle of sunshine in the morning. I need a coffee.”
She yawned, settling for water, fruit, and nuts. At least she wasn’t hungry.
    “I’m
afraid I’m all out of stimulants. Unless—”
    She